Prince Harry's visit to the UK was primarily for the purpose of testifying in his lawsuit against MGN, which involves allegations of illegal news gathering techniques employed in the past. One particular article under scrutiny pertained to rumors suggesting Major James Hewitt, who was allegedly involved in an affair with Princess Diana, might actually be Prince Harry's biological father.
In a witness statement obtained by Newsweek, the younger son of King Charles spoke out, stating, "This article, authored by Dean Rousewell and published on page 4 of The People, detailed a conspiracy to procure a sample of my DNA for the purpose of testing my parentage."
"Numerous newspapers had propagated the rumor that Major James Hewitt was my biological father—a man with whom my mother supposedly had a relationship after my birth. At the time of these articles and similar ones, I was unaware that my mother hadn't even met Major Hewitt until after I was born."
"This revelation only came to my knowledge around 2014, though I now understand that it was already common knowledge among the defendant's journalists. At that time, I was only 18 years old, having lost my mother just six years prior, and stories like these felt incredibly damaging and distressingly real."
"They were hurtful, malicious, and cruel. They left me questioning the motives behind such stories. Were the newspapers deliberately sowing doubt in the public's mind to potentially force me out of the royal family?"
The uncertainty surrounding Prince Harry's true parentage was put to rest when he turned 30, which occurred two years prior to meeting his wife, Meghan Markle, and a year after the birth of Prince George, the son of Kate Middleton and Prince William.
Prince Harry's case also highlights a second article published in the Mirror, titled "Plot to steal Harry DNA," which was released on December 16, 2002.
In his witness statement, Harry emphasized, "This article delved into the financial incentives associated with obtaining my DNA and selling it to a foreign newspaper."
"It reported that officials at St James' Palace believed my DNA could fetch 'tens of thousands of pounds' if offered to a foreign publication," he added.
Continuing his testimony, the prince remarked, "Once again, I find it unlikely that this information would have been leaked by anyone within the palace, considering the security risks involved."
"The article also suggested that Spain was a probable location for the supposed 'honeytrap.' However, I am unsure as to the source of such information provided to the journalist from the [Mirror Group]."
Prince Harry proceeded to describe an anecdote shared by his father, Prince Charles, who would often recount an encounter with a patient at Broadmoor psychiatric hospital claiming to be the Prince of Wales. "Who knows if I'm really the Prince of Wales? Who knows if I'm even your real father? Maybe your real father is in Broadmoor, darling boy!" Prince Charles would jest.
Reflecting on this, Prince Harry wrote, "He would laugh and laugh, though it was a remarkably unfunny joke, particularly given the rumors circulating at that time, suggesting that my true father was one of my mother's former lovers, Major James Hewitt."
"One of the reasons fueling this rumor was Major Hewitt's striking red hair, but sadistically, tabloid readers found pleasure in the notion that the younger child of Prince Charles might not actually be his biological child. For some inexplicable reason, they couldn't get enough of this 'joke.' Perhaps it made them feel
