Prince Harry joins forces with Doreen Lawrence for BBC race relations documentary

Baroness Lawrence, 73, has been one of the country’s most prominent social campaigners since her son Stephen was murdered in a racist knife attack in 1993. The killing and its aftermath transformed the national conversation around institutional racism in Britain.

The documentary project pairs two figures who share recent legal history, having stood together as co-claimants in a high-profile privacy case against the publisher of the Daily Mail. GB News has contacted the BBC for comment.

Their collaboration on the documentary emerges just months after the pair’s legal battle against Associated Newspapers ended in comprehensive defeat.

The Duke and Baroness Lawrence were part of a group of prominent individuals, among them Sir Elton John and Liz Hurley, who accused the publisher’s journalists of phone-hacking, bugging and obtaining information through deception.

Baroness Lawrence specifically alleged that her phone had been tapped and her voicemails intercepted. In a ruling delivered in July, Mr Justice Nicklin threw out every one of the 97 claims brought against the publisher, concluding that the claimants’ evidence fell short of substantiating their allegations.

The group subsequently faced a significant legal costs order, with the potential bill reaching as high as £34.5million payable to Associated Newspapers. They held insurance covering up to £16.2million in the event of defeat.

In response to the judge’s decision, Prince Harry and Baroness Lawrence issued a joint statement: “We came to court seeking justice and accountability. But we have received neither. It is a complete and obvious whitewash, but sadly not altogether unexpected.”

The scale of the potential financial consequences reflected the magnitude of the defeat. The claimants, seven public figures in total, were ordered to pay costs that could amount to £34.5million to the Daily Mail’s publisher following an exceptional ruling by the court.

Their insurance arrangements covered only £16.2million of any adverse costs order, leaving a substantial shortfall.

The failed litigation has done nothing to deter the Duke from continuing his public association with Baroness Lawrence, as their joint documentary project now demonstrates.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are meanwhile expected to make their first joint public appearance since returning to Britain, with a visit to Nottingham planned for Thursday.

The city holds particular significance for the couple, as it hosted their inaugural joint royal engagement in 2017, just days after they announced their engagement.

According to The Sunday Times, the itinerary will see them visit three charities working with local communities and young people through film, sport and music, an outing that closely mirrors the style of engagements they carried out before stepping back from royal duties in 2020.

A source close to the couple told the outlet: “Nottingham is a really special place for them and they are looking forward to getting back out there into the community, together.”

The visit follows a letter issued by the Lord Chamberlain on the King’s behalf to senior military and Government officials, confirming the Sussexes should be treated as “private citizens” who may not use their HRH titles.

The couple have reportedly pushed back against this designation, preferring to be recognised as public figures in acknowledgement that they remain members of the Royal Family despite no longer receiving public funding.