Prince Harry Lambasts Tabloid Media in Historic Court Appearance
In an unprecedented court event on Tuesday, Prince Harry fervently castigated the tabloid press, accusing them of shattering his teenage years and subsequent relationships. He further alleged unlawful practices against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN), publishers of titles including the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror, and Sunday People.
The first senior British royal to testify in court in over a century, Harry also recounted the distress caused by alleged illegal intrusions into the life of his late mother, Princess Diana. This disturbing notion, he said, made him "feel physically sick."
The fifth in line to the throne, Harry, and 100 other plaintiffs are challenging MGN at the High Court in London over claims of illicit data collection from 1991 to 2011. He argued during the cross-examination that he has been a target since his school days in 1996.
Harry's grievances extended to the press' alleged attempts to sabotage his relationships, leading to his break up with Chelsy Davy, a shrinking friend circle, and bouts of depression and paranoia. He was often labeled a "playboy prince", a "thicko", a "failure" and a "drop out".
In his written statement, he lashed out at the media's conduct as "utterly vile," accusing tabloids of inciting "hatred and harassment" into his and wife Meghan's personal lives. He further asked: "How much more blood will stain their typing fingers before someone can put a stop to this madness?"
In response to inquiries about his remarks, he stated: "Some of the editors and journalists that are responsible for causing a lot of pain, upset and in some cases - perhaps inadvertently - death."
In a significant turn of events, MGN's attorney Andrew Green apologized to the Prince for an instance where the publisher admitted to illegal information collection. However, the lawyer scrutinized Harry over 33 newspaper articles, whose details Harry alleges were unlawfully obtained.
Despite Green's suggestions that the distress experienced by the Prince was due to overall press coverage and not specific MGN articles, Harry stood firm. He repeatedly insisted that the origin of the information used in the articles seemed dubious and should be addressed by the respective journalists.
Upon Harry's arrival and his return after a brief intermission, he was greeted warmly by the public both inside and outside the court.
In a significant revelation, Harry blamed Piers Morgan, former editor of the Daily Mirror, for invading his mother's privacy. Morgan, currently working for Rupert Murdoch's News Corp, has consistently refuted any involvement or awareness of phone-hacking or other illegal activities. His spokesperson remained silent on Harry's accusations.
Harry's statement also included his assertion that he shared his mother's fears of being targeted, and that she was never paranoid, only frightened of actual threats. MGN, currently owned by Reach, has previously conceded to phone-hacking incidents but denies any evidence suggesting Harry was a victim.
The MGN trial, which began last month, sees Harry as one of four test cases probing whether the illicit activity was endorsed by high-ranking editors and executives.