Noble
Prince Harry on the witness stand: lawsuit against “Mirror” publishers
Prince Harry arrives before a hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice. photo
© Victoria Jones/PA Wire/dpa
For the first time since the 19th century, a British royal is being cross-examined in court. For Prince Harry, it could be the first of several appearances on the witness stand.
“Never complain, never explain” – this has actually been the motto of the British royal family for a long time when it comes to reporting in the tabloid media about them. But Prince Harry broke with this principle – first in interviews and publications and now also in court.
The 38-year-old is expected in London’s High Court today in the spying process against the publisher Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN). It is expected by Tuesday at the latest that he himself will take the witness stand. He must also be able to answer questions from the lawyer for the other party. According to British media, it will be the first time since the 19th century that a member of the royal family will be cross-examined.
Harry and other celebrities accuse the journalists of the newspapers “Daily Mirror”, “Sunday Mirror” and “People” of having spied on them for years using illegal methods such as tapping cell phone mailbox messages and are demanding compensation.
They also accuse the management of the newspapers and publishers of knowing about the machinations, of not having intervened and of having covered up the procedure later.
Campaign against the tabloids
It is already known from other proceedings that illegal practices were used with the three sheets. However, the publisher firmly rejects the specific allegations in the current process. In addition, the lawyers argue that the six-year period for filing suit has long since expired. Harry and other plaintiffs counter that they only gradually became aware of what had happened and therefore could not have reacted earlier.
For Prince Harry, the appearance on the witness stand may only be one of several. The younger son of King Charles III. (74), who now lives with his wife Meghan (41) and their two children Archie (4) and Lilibet (2) in the US state of California, is waging a real campaign against the tabloids in Great Britain.
Harry makes no secret of the fact that he blames the “tabloid press,” as the tabloid media is known in Britain, for his mother’s accidental death. Since Diana’s death, he has been relentlessly pursued by journalists and paparazzi, humiliated and downright sabotaged in his relationships with women, he explained in the biography “Reserve” (English: “Spare”) published in January.
He and his wife Meghan recently went public with allegations that they were chased through the city by photographers after an event in New York. The depiction, which has not been independently confirmed in its drama, recalled the death journey of his mother, Princess Diana, in Paris in the summer of 1997. She was also followed by paparazzi at the time.
Approaching with the family?
Harry’s testimony at the trial against the “Mirror” publisher should follow a similar style. With the difference, however, that the lawyer on the other side can also ask questions and may try to question his or her credibility.
Three days – from Monday to Wednesday – are scheduled for Prince Harry’s allegations. He will probably have to comment on details that were the focus of the reported reporting. It is said to be about 33 articles from the years 1996 to 2009, the content of which, according to Harry, could only have gotten into the hands of journalists through illegal methods.
Among other things, the relationship with his ex-girlfriend Chelsy Davy, which, according to Harry, broke up due to the constant monitoring of the tabloid media, should be discussed.
The role of former “Mirror” editor-in-chief and TV presenter Piers Morgan, whom Harry and his lawyers accuse of being involved in the illegal activities, should also be highlighted. Morgan is now considered the harshest critic of Harry’s wife, Duchess Meghan.
It is uncertain whether Harry will also use his stay in London to get closer to his family. The relationship with the other royals is now considered extremely tense. The fact that he is again going public with private details should not exactly meet with enthusiasm in the palace. In any case, his father Charles may not have noticed much of the hustle and bustle surrounding Harry’s testimony in London: He is currently vacationing alone in Romania, where he owns several holiday homes in remote areas of Transylvania – allegedly without access to radio, television or the Internet.