Prince Harry is reportedly preparing to present his case in court, with a legal battle set to come to light. David Sherborne, the Duke of Sussex’s lawyer, confirmed on Friday, Nov. 16, that his lawsuit against New Group Newspapers (NGN), the publisher of The Sun, will proceed to trial in January 2025, according to People.
Rupert Murdoch, the media mogul known for founding Fox News, owns NGN. The Duke has accused NGN of phone hacking and other breaches of privacy between 1996 and 2011, alleging these practices were used to unlawfully gather information. He claims that both The Sun and the now-defunct News of the World targeted him using these methods. NGN has denied the accusations and any wrongdoing.
Prince Harry’s legal battles highlight concerns over privacy and security
In a recent ruling, the High Court granted Prince Harry’s legal team access to additional emails between senior NGN staff and members of the royal household. These emails were deemed “crucial” for the ongoing case, with Justice Fancourt stating that there was “sufficient justification” for their release and that they were necessary for a fair trial.
Prince Harry has been involved in several high-profile legal disputes over privacy and security issues. In 2022, he won a defamation lawsuit against The Mail on Sunday, marking one of his first legal victories.
The case followed allegations from the publisher that he had concealed his lawsuit against the U.K. government and falsely claimed he did not offer to pay for his family’s police protection during their Jubilee visit.
His wife, Meghan Markle, won a similar privacy lawsuit against Associated Newspapers the previous year, which included a front-page apology from the paper. Concerns about the safety of Prince Harry and his family have been ongoing, especially after the monarchy removed his publicly funded security in 2020.
Recently, the Duke expressed concerns about bringing Markle and their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, to the U.K. without proper security measures in place. In addition to his legal actions against the U.K. tabloids, Prince Harry has pursued legal action regarding his family’s lack of security while abroad.
A source close to the Sussex family revealed that Meghan Markle wishes her husband would move on from his legal battles. “She wants him to be free from all of this, but she understands that, due to everything he’s been through and his love for her and their children, he feels he can’t,” the insider told People. “She hopes for a life where he is not burdened by these ongoing struggles.”
