Prince Harry sparked controversy and criticism for his absence at the start of his trial against the Mirror Group Newspapers at London’s High Court on Monday, June 5.
The no-show coincided with his daughter Princess Lilibet’s birthday celebration in California on Sunday, June 4.
David Sherborne, Prince Harry’s legal counsel, brought an air of surprise to the court when he mentioned that the Duke of Sussex wouldn’t be present for the day’s events. He stated that Harry would be making an appearance the next day, having flown in from Los Angeles the evening before, and attributed his absence to the birthday celebration of his daughter.
The judge, taken aback and somewhat frustrated, had initially expected Prince Harry to be the first witness. In a bid to mitigate these concerns, Sherborne contended that due to travel and security considerations, Harry fell under a “distinct category,” implying his presence was not crucial for the day as they didn’t anticipate the trial to extend for the full day.
However, the judge countered Sherborne’s justification, pointing out the potential for a full day trial was indeed anticipated. This was emphasized by the initial mandate for the first witness, Prince Harry, to attend court.
Andrew Green, representing the Mirror Group Newspapers, was critical of Prince Harry’s team for their inability to bring him in for testimony, accusing them of time wasting. Green emphasized the need for a comprehensive cross-examination of Prince Harry concerning 33 articles, insisting it was not practical to complete within a single day’s trial, estimating it would need at least a day and a half.
Prince Harry is part of a group of claimants alleging the Mirror Group used illegal methods to gather information for a slew of stories about them. Sherborne, in his opening remarks, declared it was “clear” that articles on Harry’s personal life notably boosted newspaper sales. He insisted that Harry, among the most frequently featured individuals in that time frame, had suffered multiple instances of hacking.
A substantial portion of Harry’s case delved into how the publicizing of stories about him impacted his younger years, particularly regarding his relationship with his first serious girlfriend, Chelsy Davey. In his written testimony, he disclosed how the constant unveiling of private details of his relationship triggered paranoia as he grappled to figure out who among his circle might be leaking information to the media.
