Prince Harry prepares to return to the United Kingdom next week. He’s expected to testify in a forthcoming lawsuit brought by Associated Newspapers Limited. This legal proceeding is a major moment for Prince Harry. It brings attention to his longstanding fight with the tabloids that he says cross the line into harassment and invasion of privacy. His testimony will take place this Thursday, January 22, after a pretrial hearing that was held on January 15.
During the pretrial hearing, legal representatives for both Prince Harry and Associated Newspapers Limited presented their arguments before a judge. Much of the argument weighed in on the merits of witness testimony and proposed last-minute amendments to the case. Prince Harry has reportedly filed a lawsuit against the publisher. He’s backed by six other plaintiffs, reflecting increasing hostility between stars and powerful public figures and tabloid media in the wake of privacy rights.
This action follows Prince Harry’s recent legal triumvirate against UK tabloids. In 2023 he testified in a related phone hacking case against Mirror Group Newspapers. His on-the-ground testimony gave way to a smart settlement in the case. Mirror Group Newspapers admitted that its PRISM practices were “unlawful information gathering” in settled cases. They further agreed to pay the legal fees of Prince Harry and pay damages totaling approximately £300,000 (around $400,000).
In addition, Prince Harry’s legal battles with the tabloids don’t stop there. Last January, he accepted a settlement from News Group Newspapers—The Sun’s publisher. The newspaper conceded liability for an egregious violation of Prince Harry’s privacy that took place between 1996 and 2011. So as part of their settlement agreement, they had to pay him outrageously large damages.
Prince Harry is preparing for his historic court appearance. The world is buzzing with speculation over if and when he’ll be able to reunite with his family while he’s in the UK. He now lives in California with his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, and their children Archie and Lilibet. Recent months have featured vigorous debates on the nuances of their tumultuous measures of their family relations. This recent conversation took hold particularly after Prince Harry’s visit to the UK last autumn.
