Prince Harry at risk of being ‘destroyed’

A few days before crossing swords against billionaire Rupert Murdoch’s all-powerful News Group Newspapers tabloid group, during a sensational trial to be held in London, Prince Harry seems confident. But the risks of “damage” are immense.

If he has proven anything, during his long years of legal battle, it is that Prince Harry does not allow himself to be impressed. He repeated it again earlier this month during an event in partnership with the New York Times. Referring to his imminent clash with billionaire Rupert Murdoch’s News Group Newspapers (NGN), over allegations of electronic hacking of his voicemail by journalists and private investigators, the Duke of Sussex does not dodge questions.

It’s been almost 30 years since the tabloid group, which publishes the Sun and the missing News of the Worldallegedly hacked the young prince’s cell phone and voicemail for the first time, in 1996. But rather than following in the footsteps of actors Hugh Grant and Sienna Miller, other alleged victims, who chose to settle the matter amicably and with millions of dollars, Harry preferred to confront the Murdoch machine. Determined to see it through to the end. Even if it means, inevitably, suffering financially.

“For him, it’s a question of principle,” analyzes Mark Stephens, British lawyer at the London firm Howard Kennedy, to the American media Puck. “Harry made it clear he was not there to cover his costs. He wants accountability. He feels that his life has been invaded, that it has had an impact on his relationships with others. And then, if we add to that the way the media treated Princess Diana, his mother, we begin to understand.

The issues of the trial

While the trial will revolve around how a handful of private detectives hired by journalists were able to illegally obtain information about Harry that was not in the public domain, another important section will be devoted to the statute of limitations for the Duke’s complaint. of Sussex. Indeed, according to News Group, Harry had been aware of the possibility of asserting his rights for more than six years – and it would therefore be time-barred.

The question of limitation adds another layer of complexity, because the trial will also have to address certain alleged “secret agreements” between Rupert Murdoch’s company and Buckingham Palace.

The ins and outs of this agreement, here.

A sort of contract supposed to guarantee favorable media coverage for the heir to the throne, Prince William. In exchange for this, the members of the royal family – William and Harry – would have agreed not to take legal action against News Group.

A costly procedure

If Harry has to testify again at the bar (a prospect which is already making Charles III cringe, as his son became, in June 2023, the first member of the British royal family to go to court in over 130 years), in another trial), each side disagrees on how long it takes to cook the prince’s thirst for justice.

Lawyer Anthony Hudson, who is defending News Group, said it would take him no less than “four days” to question the duke, over as many as 30 different press reports, which the prince said were based on information obtained illegally – information that the group claims, for its part, to have from perfectly legitimate and secret sources.

For his part, the Duke of Sussex’s lawyer, David Sherborne, said that although his client “would appreciate” spending four days testifying, “a day and a half” should be more than enough. Regardless, the trial is expected to last two months and is expected to feature a host of witnesses, including current editors, journalists and several “prominent” media figures.

In addition to the NGN lawsuit, Harry is also suing Associated Newspapers, the publisher of Daily Mail. This case should be judged in early 2026.Image: Anadolu

While waiting for this new legal meeting at the High Court in London, on the Windsor side, we are champing at the bit with a certain “nervousness”. At least that’s what royalty specialist Richard Fitzwilliams tells the channel GB News. “The trial will be sensational, as was his last appearance on the witness stand.”

“Although Harry has two legal cases pending, there appears to be some nervousness about what he might say during cross-examination or in front of his lawyers that could implicate the monarch,” the expert continues.

There is undoubtedly nothing more, however, which could not further aggravate the situation between the king’s son and his royal family. Already at a standstill.