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| Prince Harry: I couldn't trust anybody due to phone hacking | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Prince Harry is the first senior royal in 132 years to give evidence in a court of law | Prince Harry is the first senior royal in 132 years to give evidence in a court of law |
| Prince Harry has accused tabloid newspapers of hacking his voicemails when he was a teenager, saying it made him feel he "couldn't trust anybody". | |
| In a witness statement released in his case against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN), he said the press had also cast him as a "cheat" and a "thicko". | |
| Harry, who is giving evidence in court, said he had played up to headlines when young, leading to a "downward spiral". | |
| He claims journalists unlawfully gathered information, which MGN denies. | He claims journalists unlawfully gathered information, which MGN denies. |
| By appearing in the witness stand, Harry has become the first senior royal to give evidence in a court of law since Edward VII in 1891. | By appearing in the witness stand, Harry has become the first senior royal to give evidence in a court of law since Edward VII in 1891. |
| In his written statement issued as he appeared at the High Court in London, Prince Harry accused the tabloid press of casting members of the Royal Family into roles and creating an "alternative and distorted version of me". | |
| "They then start to edge you towards playing the role or roles that suit them best and which sells as many newspapers as possible, especially if you are the 'spare' to the 'heir'", he said. | "They then start to edge you towards playing the role or roles that suit them best and which sells as many newspapers as possible, especially if you are the 'spare' to the 'heir'", he said. |
| "You're then either the 'playboy prince', the 'failure', the 'drop out' or, in my case, the 'thicko', the 'cheat', the 'underage drinker', the 'irresponsible drug taker'..." | "You're then either the 'playboy prince', the 'failure', the 'drop out' or, in my case, the 'thicko', the 'cheat', the 'underage drinker', the 'irresponsible drug taker'..." |
| The duke also said stories he believes originated from hacking not only caused security concerns, but damaged his relationships. | The duke also said stories he believes originated from hacking not only caused security concerns, but damaged his relationships. |
| "I felt that I couldn't trust anybody, which was an awful feeling for me especially at such a young age," he said. | "I felt that I couldn't trust anybody, which was an awful feeling for me especially at such a young age," he said. |
| His statement is critical of the broader tabloid press, while there are also specific claims levelled against the publisher of the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror and The People. | His statement is critical of the broader tabloid press, while there are also specific claims levelled against the publisher of the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror and The People. |
| In the statement, he also: | In the statement, he also: |
| Says the thought of Daily Mirror's former editor Piers Morgan "and his band of journalists earwigging into my mother's private and sensitive messages", made him feel "physically sick" | |
| Claims he and his wife, Meghan, have been subjected to a "barrage of horrific personal attacks and intimidation" from Mr Morgan as a result of the claim against MGN | |
| Alleges journalists would illegally obtain information about former girlfriend Chelsy Davy's flights to the UK to see him | Alleges journalists would illegally obtain information about former girlfriend Chelsy Davy's flights to the UK to see him |
| Says the government and press are at "rock bottom" | |
| Harry alleges about 140 articles published between 1996 and 2010 contained information gathered using unlawful methods, and 33 of these have been selected to be considered at the trial. | |
| Under cross-examination, Andrew Green KC, representing MGN, put to the duke that some stories were written by Mirror Group newspapers as follow-ups to articles in rival publications. | |
| But the duke said journalists were "desperate for anything royal" and "any element of our private lives is interesting to the public". | |
| "Just because there was a story which came out previously doesn't mean there weren't attempts to take the story further," he said. | |
| Harry is one of four people bringing claims against the publisher, alongside Coronation Street actors Michael Turner - known professionally as Michael Le Vell - and Nikki Sanderson, as well as Fiona Wightman, the ex-wife of the comedian Paul Whitehouse. | Harry is one of four people bringing claims against the publisher, alongside Coronation Street actors Michael Turner - known professionally as Michael Le Vell - and Nikki Sanderson, as well as Fiona Wightman, the ex-wife of the comedian Paul Whitehouse. |
| The claimants allege unlawful methods were used to obtain information for stories and say senior executives must have known about it and failed to stop it, which MGN denies. | The claimants allege unlawful methods were used to obtain information for stories and say senior executives must have known about it and failed to stop it, which MGN denies. |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Media | Media |
| Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex | Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex |
| The Royal Family and the media | The Royal Family and the media |
| Phone Hacking | Phone Hacking |