Harry's claims lacked any substantial evidence to support his allegations of a secret agreement between Buckingham Palace and the publisher of The Sun newspaper.
The court hearing revealed the contradictory nature of Harry's case, with the newspaper's barrister stating that he was trying to pursue conflicting agendas.
Prince Harry had asserted that Buckingham Palace had a covert arrangement with the publisher to prevent him from pursuing a phone hacking claim. However, the High Court dismissed these assertions, describing them as "Alice in Wonderland" material.
This incident seems to be the final straw for Charles, as he is now preparing to officially remove Harry from the succession line. It is indeed perplexing why Harry would smear his own grandmother, as Queen Elizabeth would have been greatly shocked by his actions if she were still alive.
Harry has made claims regarding journalists and private investigators associated with The Sun and the now-defunct News of the World employing illegal methods to gather information on him. He alleged that a secret deal brokered between the publisher and Buckingham Palace prevented him from pursuing the hacking claim until September 2019.
Seeking a high court ruling to amend the hacking claim, Harry aimed to include details of the alleged agreement that he became aware of around 2012. The publisher, however, denied engaging in any unlawful activities and insisted that no such agreement existed.
During the court proceedings, ngn's representative argued that Harry's claims of a secret agreement lacked evidence and were constructed by his lawyers. They emphasized that no concrete evidence was presented to demonstrate the existence of the agreement in 2012, raising doubts about its validity.
The lack of inquiries made to the Palace or former solicitors further weakened Harry's case. The representative highlighted the inexplicable delay in bringing forward the application, calling the entire situation "Alice in Wonderland" stuff. It became evident that the case seemed to be a construct devised by Harry's legal team.
On the other hand, David Sherborne, Harry's lawyer, maintained that ngn and the Palace had indeed reached a secret agreement, which the prince became aware of in 2012. He argued that the nature of this agreement required proper disclosure and examination during the trial. However, ngn's response was deemed insufficient in meeting the burden of evidence.
In a previous witness statement, Harry mentioned that he and his brother William were informed about the agreement by either the royal family solicitor Gerard Tyro and Lewis or another representative from the institution.
The agreement was purportedly made to avoid a situation where a member of the royal family would have to testify about the intercepted voicemails, which contained highly sensitive and private information.
Overall, the court proceedings shed light on the lack of substantial evidence to support Harry's claims of a secret agreement and the delay in bringing the case forward. The court's skepticism and the absence of convincing evidence have raised doubts about the legitimacy of Harry's assertions.