Prince Harry made a shocking and unexpected appearance at the London High Court on Monday, March 27. It was the first hearing of a lawsuit against the publisher of The Daily Mail by several high-profile celebrities for privacy breaches and phone tapping.
The Prince made the surprise appearance for the lawsuit against Associated Newspapers along with the well-known singer Elton John. No one was expecting the royal to show up to court in person.
Monday’s hearing was for the judge to consider initial legal arguments and decide if the case can proceed. Associated Newspapers has always denied the accusations.
Prince Harry and six other plaintiffs in the case allege that they have been the victims of criminal activity and gross privacy breaches. The group of seven announced last year in October that they would engage in a legal battle with Associated Newspapers for their alleged misuse of private information.
In October, Hamlins, a firm representing Prince Harry and actress Sadie Frost, said that the media giant had, among other things, hired private detectives to place listening devices secretly into people’s cars and inside their homes. They also claimed the Daily Mail was snooping on private phone conversations, paying police officers for information, and impersonating people to obtain medical records.
Associated Newspapers described the accusations as “preposterous smears” and said they would try to have the entire case thrown out of court over the four days of hearings.
Despite his presence in the UK’s capital, Harry will not be meeting his father or brother, with sources in both King Charles’ and Prince William’s camps saying they were too busy to meet the younger Prince.
Prince Harry is believed to be staying at the Frogmore Cottage during his short stay in London, although he is due to vacate it on his father’s orders.
The lack of enthusiasm by the royals to meet with Prince Harry further cements his family’s unwillingness to sit down and air out their issues with him in the hopes of reconciliation.
Prince Harry told Anderson Cooper in January that he would only attend his father’s coronation if he and his family sit down and talk things through.
