The royal family, particularly King Charles and Prince William, are reportedly deeply troubled by the prospect of Prince Harry revealing more private family details in court. This concern arises from Harry's ongoing legal battle against News Group Newspapers, the parent publisher of The Sun.
A UK court recently dismissed part of Harry's phone hacking case against The Sun. However, the Duke of Sussex has been permitted to proceed with his allegations of illegal practices used by the newspaper to gather information about him. This development has reportedly caused significant unease within the royal family.
A source close to the royals revealed to The Daily Beast that while the family acknowledges Harry's status as a private citizen, they are not comfortable with the extent of information he has shared in court. "Everyone in the family completely accepts that Harry is a private citizen and can do what he likes without reference to the family," the insider said. "That doesn’t mean they have to like it. Of course, they are massively irritated by the prospect of more blockbuster Harry trials."
The source also mentioned another ongoing defamation case against the Daily Mail, adding to the family's concerns. Despite these distractions, the royal family's goal is to "keep plugging away and not get distracted by any of it," the source added.
In a significant development, Justice Timothy Fancourt dismissed Harry's claim of a "secret agreement" between Buckingham Palace and the media. This alleged pact, supposedly sanctioned by the late Queen Elizabeth, would have prevented members of the royal family from filing future lawsuits against the media. News Group Newspapers, however, maintained that no such secret deal ever existed, and Harry failed to provide any evidence of such an agreement.
Harry's legal battles extend beyond The Sun. He recently traveled to London's High Court to testify against Mirror Group Newspapers, accusing the publisher of unlawful information gathering. This lawsuit, initiated in 2019, alleges that his phone voicemails were hacked.
As the legal battles continue, it is believed that King Charles is the only senior royal family member maintaining contact with Harry. The royal family's apprehension about the potential exposure of private family information in court underscores the ongoing tension between Prince Harry and his family.