Prince Harry broke records last month with his phone hacking lawsuit, becoming the first member of the British royal family to testify in court in over a century. The Duke of Sussex claimed that Mirror Group Newspapers had hacked his personal phone to gather information on him, and lucky for him, the court found that phone hacking had occurred, and Mirror Group Newspapers was ordered to pay $180K.
This decision may come as a surprise to many, as previously, the judge accused Harry of “spinning” his story. However, the ex-royal has made it his life’s mission to hold the press accountable for what he thinks has caused much tragedy in his life, including the death of his mother, Princess Diana, and the negative reputation of him and his wife, Meghan Markle. Keep reading for more information.
Prince Harry Brings Phone Hacking Case To Court
Prince Harry claimed that the Mirror Group Newspapers hacked his personal cell phone to gather information on him and his associates. Harry brought up nearly 150 articles that he thought contained unlawfully obtained information, and the judge ruled in his favor for 15 out of the 33 articles examined.
Judge Timothy Fancourt of London's High Court said that within Mirror Group Newspapers, phone hacking in order to obtain information was "widespread and habitual" and that private investigators "were an integral part of the system" to gather information on the British Royal Family. He also said that executives at Mirror Group Newspapers were aware of this practice and not only let it slide, but covered it up.
Prince Harry's lawyer shared a statement after the ruling that reads, "Today is a great day for truth, as well as accountability. I've been told that slaying dragons will get you burned. But in light of today's victory and the importance of doing what is needed for a free and honest press, it is a worthwhile price to pay. The mission continues."
Not Prince Harry's First Time In Court
This is only one of several of Prince Harry's lawsuits against the press. In fact, days before this ruling, a different judge ordered Harry to pay over $60K to Daily Mail , after he tried to sue Associated Newspapers Ltd. for defamation after they published an article that said he had tried to hide his efforts to retain publicly funded protection after exiting his role as a working royal.
On that note, he's also challenging the U.K. government's decision to strip him of his security detail after he stepped away from his role as a working royal. While he thinks he still deserves protection, much of the public believes that King Charles should take it a step further and strip him and his wife, Meghan Markle, of their titles of Duke and Duchess of Sussex. However, given King Charles' non-confrontational personality, this will likely not happen, at least in the King's lifetime.
