It has been reported that the Duke of Sussex filed a lawsuit against MGN (Mirror Group Newspapers) following an incident where he apparently bumped into a well-known French barrister.
In his testimony at the high court, Prince Harry stated that the meeting with David Sherborne in 2018 was accidental. Sherborne is currently representing the Duke in his individual claim against MGN Limited.
David Sherborne has represented various high-profile clients in the past, including Colleen Rooney in the "Wagatha Christie" trial, Sir Elton John, Diana Princess of Wales, and former Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair.
According to Prince Harry, he discussed with lawyers the abuse, intrusion, and hate that he and the Duchess of Sussex were facing. The Duke expressed his desire to find a different approach to handle these challenges without relying solely on institutional methods.
During the proceedings, Prince Harry mentioned that he encountered Mr. Sherborne in France. In his autobiography, Prince Harry stated that while on vacation with Sir Elton John and his husband David Furnish, they were introduced to an unnamed barrister who was knowledgeable about the phone hacking scandal.
The Duke described the barrister as a pleasant individual and mentioned that he suggested the Duke hire his own lawyer. However, this excerpt from the autobiography was not presented or read in court.
In 2019, Sir Elton John reached a settlement in a phone hacking claim against News Group Newspapers (NGN). This settlement is part of a joint claim filed by Prince Harry and others, represented by David Sherborne, regarding alleged illegal information gathering at Associated Newspapers Limited. It was clarified during the questioning that Prince Harry did not seek legal advice about a potential case against MGN prior to encountering Mr. Sherborne in France.
A spokesperson for MGN acknowledged past wrongdoing, taking full responsibility and offering apologies. However, they emphasized their commitment to vigorously defend themselves against allegations of wrongdoing when their journalists have acted lawfully. MGN is now part of a completely new business, and their intention in this trial is to allow the company and their journalists to move forward from events that took place many years ago, acting with integrity.
