Prince Harry attended a UK court hearing on Tuesday and promised to provide honest testimony against a tabloid publisher whom he had accused of phone hacking.
The Duke of Sussex arrived at the High Court in London in a black SUV while being filmed and photographed by many reporters. He held a Bible in one hand as he was sworn in and is suing the Daily Mirror's publisher, according to Fox News.
He accused the newspaper of using illegal means to gather stories about the British royal family. The 38-year-old will be questioned by Mirror Group Newspapers' lawyer, who is challenging his allegations.
Negative Treatment From Media Since Birth
During his conversation with Mirror Group attorney Andrew Green, Harry stated that he had been subjected to negative treatment from the media since his birth. He also blamed the tabloids for causing harm to his upbringing.
Harry is the first senior member of the British royal family in over a hundred years to be questioned in court. He has dedicated himself to ensuring that the UK press is held responsible for their actions towards him and his family. In a statement released before his court appearance, Harry accused the UK tabloids of causing "hatred and harassment" in his private life.
He explained that he chose to relocate to California with Meghan Markle, a former American actress because the tabloid press was continuously invading their privacy, spreading hatred, and harassing them. This had a harmful effect on their mental health and overall well-being.
Harry expressed his worry about his son's safety and security due to the harmful behavior of some tabloids. He felt saddened and demotivated by the hurtful actions of these media outlets and believed that they unfairly stereotyped and label members of the royal family. As the second in line to the throne, Harry was often portrayed as unintelligent, dishonest, and reckless by the tabloids.
During his teenage years and early twenties, Harry felt like he was conforming to the negative labels and expectations placed on him by the media. He believed that since people already believed these false stories about him, he might as well act in ways that would fit the supposed narrative. The tabloids constantly tried to manipulate him into doing something foolish that would make a juicy story and increase their sales. In hindsight, Harry sees this behavior from the media as repugnant.
Harry expressed that he believed the tabloids preferred him to be unattached because it made him more fascinating and improved their sales. However, when asked to recall particular articles that bothered him, he couldn't remember.
The interviewer questioned how they could have caused him so much anguish if he couldn't recall them. Harry responded that it wasn't about a particular article but rather all of them, as each one had caused him distress.
Princess Diana's Phone Hacked?
During an interview, Green asked Harry to provide evidence of phone hacking in certain articles. Harry responded by directing the question to the journalist who wrote the articles. He mentioned that the way information was obtained seemed very suspicious. When Green inquired how reporters could have hacked his phone for an article about his 12th birthday, Harry suggested that his mother's phone may have been hacked instead.
During the court hearing on Monday, June 5, the prince's attorney, David Sherborne, presented evidence that British newspapers had been using unethical methods such as hacking and deceit to gather information about the prince since he was a child. These newspapers then turned this information into sensational headlines, making a profit from the public's interest in the prince's life. Over 2,500 articles were published between 1996 and 2011, covering topics such as the prince's school injuries, drug use, and romantic relationships.
Prince Harry said in a written statement that he felt like the tabloid press thought they owned him, with every relationship he's had being affected by their involvement. The Mirror Group has paid over 100 million pounds to settle unlawful information-gathering claims but denies or has not admitted to Harry's specific claims relating to 33 published articles.
More Questioning for the Royal Prince
Green stated that there is no proof to support the claim that the Duke of Sussex was hacked, especially on a regular basis. He also mentioned that he intends to question Harry for a day and a half.
Harry was supposed to appear in court on Monday, June 5, for the start of his hacking case trial, which is the first of many lawsuits he plans to file against the media. However, Harry's lawyer, Sherborne, explained that he was absent because he had flown from Los Angeles on Sunday, June 4, after celebrating his daughter's second birthday.
Related article : Could Prince Harry Face Criminal Charges, Be Deported for Hiding His Past Drug Use?
