Prince Harry has left the High Court on Monday afternoon as the first day of a major privacy trial against the publisher of the Daily Mail concluded, marking the opening stage of a nine-week legal battle over alleged unlawful information-gathering.
The Duke of Sussex departed the Royal Courts of Justice shortly after proceedings wrapped for the day, following hours of opening submissions in a case that also involves Sir Elton John, David Furnish, Baroness Doreen Lawrence, Sadie Frost, Liz Hurley and former Liberal Democrat MP Sir Simon Hughes.
The trial, heard before Mr Justice Nicklin, will resume at 10.30am on Tuesday.
Harry is among seven high-profile figures bringing legal action against Associated Newspapers Limited, which publishes the Daily Mail and the Mail on Sunday.
The claimants allege that journalists and private investigators acting on behalf of the publisher engaged in unlawful practices, including phone hacking, blagging and the misuse of private information.
Associated Newspapers Limited strongly denies the allegations.
During Monday’s hearing, barrister David Sherborne, representing the Duke of Sussex and the other claimants, alleged there was a long-running “culture of unlawful information gathering” across Mail titles, involving the use of private investigators over a period spanning more than two decades.
He told the court that Harry’s claim relates to 14 articles published between 2001 and 2013, which he said were based on unlawfully obtained private information.
Prince Harry smiles and waves at media as he emerges after first day of High Court trial
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Written submissions stated that the alleged activity left the duke “paranoid beyond belief” and caused significant distress, safety concerns and strain on personal relationships.
In one submission read to the court, Harry said he found it “deeply troubling” to learn that private investigators were allegedly used to obtain sensitive information such as flight details as late as 2014.
The court also heard allegations relating to other claimants. Mr Sherborne said actress Sadie Frost had private medical information included in a draft article, which he claimed could only have been obtained through unlawful means.
Ms Frost said in a witness statement that the situation had added to the distress she was experiencing during a difficult period in her personal life.
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Prince Harry appeared in good spirits on Monday evening
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Baroness Lawrence, the mother of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence, said alleged unlawful information-gathering left her feeling like a “victim all over again”.
Her lawyers told the court she felt “bitterly let down” by the Daily Mail, which she believed had presented itself as supportive while allegedly betraying her trust.
In response, lawyers for Associated Newspapers Limited rejected the claims in their entirety.
Barrister Antony White KC said the allegations were “unsupported by the available evidence” and based on “spurious and/or discredited information”.
Prince Harry pictured exiting the High Court in London
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He told the court that articles were sourced legitimately, often from contacts within the claimants’ social circles, press officers or prior reporting.
Mr White also argued that none of the articles were challenged at the time of publication and said the claims had been brought too late.
Associated further denied allegations of phone hacking or tapping and said it would call witnesses to explain how almost every disputed article was sourced lawfully.
The trial is scheduled to continue for several weeks, with further legal submissions expected on Tuesday as the court hears more detailed arguments from both sides.