The attorney representing The Sun tabloid has put forth a compelling argument in Prince Harry's phone hacking lawsuit, utilizing the prince's own statements.
During a recent court hearing, Attorney Anthony Hudson, representing the publisher of The Sun tabloid, referred to emails sent by Prince Harry to the royal family's chief spokesperson.
These emails suggested that the prince had enough awareness of the allegations against the publisher, which could have prompted him to initiate legal proceedings in a timely manner.
According to Hudson, Prince Harry first became aware of the interception of one of his voicemails back in 2006 and knew he had a valid claim to make by 2012. However, it wasn't until late 2017 and early 2018 that the prince began pressuring Buckingham Palace to exert pressure on the British newspaper division of Rupert Murdoch's media empire, urging them to apologize for hacking his phone.
Court records indicate that in February 2018, Prince Harry emailed the chief spokesperson for the royal family, stating, "There needs to be an ultimatum otherwise this institution and everything it stands for becomes a laughingstock." Following a three-day hearing at the High Court, Hudson requested the judge to dismiss the hacking lawsuits brought by Prince Harry and actor Hugh Grant, arguing that they had ample knowledge to file their claims within the six-year time limit.
Hudson asserted, "It is utterly hopeless, unreal, and fanciful to suggest they could not have pursued the claims they have now brought." Justice Timothy Fancourt stated that he would deliver his ruling at a later date.
This particular lawsuit is just one among several that Prince Harry has initiated in his battle against the British tabloid press. However, these legal actions run the risk of further estranging him from his family as they bring to light palace secrets and amplify grievances disclosed in his explosive memoir, "Spare."
Recent court filings mentioned that Prince William, the prince's brother, allegedly received a significant sum of money in 2020 from Murdoch's papers as part of a "quiet" settlement of hacking allegations. Furthermore, Prince Harry claimed that his father instructed palace staff to pressure him into dropping the lawsuit due to its negative impact on the family.
Attorney David Sherborne argued that both Prince Harry and Hugh Grant were aware of the hacking activities conducted by a rogue reporter at the now-defunct News of the World, owned by Murdoch. However, they only realized the extent of the interceptions when a much larger scandal emerged in 2011, leading to the paper's closure.
Sherborne contended that News Group Newspapers executives concealed evidence and lied, thereby preventing Prince Harry and Grant from uncovering the snooping conducted by The Sun, another Murdoch newspaper. He further argued that this cover-up created an exception to the time limit for filing the lawsuit.
Sherborne also asserted that Prince Harry was impeded from pursuing the case due to a "secret agreement" between the royal family and Murdoch's company. Allegedly, this agreement aimed to shield the royals from testifying in court and being confronted with embarrassing evidence. According to Prince Harry, he was informed that he couldn't file a lawsuit because the late Queen Elizabeth II had approved the agreement, which mandated News Group to reach a settlement and issue an apology to the royal family after resolving their other litigations in the voicemail hacking scandal.
Justice Fancourt expressed concern over what appeared to be a "factual inconsistency" between Prince Harry's claim of not having the knowledge to file a lawsuit before 2019 and his statement that he would have done so in 2012 if not for the secret agreement. However, Sherborne clarified that Prince Harry did not possess sufficient knowledge in 2012 to file the claim he eventually brought forward, as he was only aware of a single instance of hacking.
Frustrated by News Group's apparent delays, Prince Harry grew increasingly impatient and eventually filed a lawsuit against the company in 2019.
News Group, in response, denied the existence of any secret agreement and stated that The Sun "does not accept liability or make any admissions to the allegations." The company had no comment regarding the alleged settlement with Prince William.
As of now, Buckingham Palace has not responded to an email seeking comment on the supposed agreement or the alleged settlement paid to Prince William, who is next in line for the throne.
The court proceedings surrounding Prince Harry's phone hacking lawsuit have shed light on the intricacies and controversies within the British tabloid press. This legal battle not only exposes sensitive palace secrets but also amplifies the rift between Prince Harry and his family.
The outcome of the case remains uncertain, with Justice Timothy Fancourt promising to deliver his ruling at a later date. Prince Harry's fight against the tabloid media serves as a prominent example of the ongoing struggle between privacy rights and press freedom, highlighting the complex and often contentious relationship between public figures and the media.
