Prince Harry's absence from his own legal proceedings against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) on Monday, June 5, left the opposing counsel, Andrew Green KC, distinctly disgruntled.
Anticipated at London's High Court for the initiation of his privacy lawsuit against MGN, the parent company of the Daily Mirror, the Duke of Sussex was conspicuously absent. The lawsuit, grounded on allegations of phone hacking, was set to commence with the prince's testimony. However, his attorney, David Sherborne, informed Justice Fancourt that Prince Harry would only be attending the proceeding on Tuesday, following a late Sunday flight from the U.S.A. to the U.K.
Sherborne attributed Prince Harry's delayed arrival to his obligations as a father. The prince was celebrating the second birthday of his daughter, Princess Lilibet Diana, on Sunday.
Prince Harry is scheduled for cross-examination on Tuesday, but Green expressed frustration at the missed opportunity to scrutinize the duke's claims. Green emphasized his need for at least one and a half days to effectively cross-examine Prince Harry, saying that it simply "can not be done in one day," as reported by GB News. The barrister also voiced concerns over the resulting "wasted time."
Justice Fancourt was reportedly taken aback by Prince Harry's absence on Monday, having expected the prince's in-person testimony. Considering his court schedule had him set to appear starting Monday, his absence raised eyebrows.
Royal author Angela Levin commented on the issue, expressing disbelief at the lack of contingency plans for the prince's security, making his absence "so extraordinary and so hopeless." She added that this could negatively impact his case, calling the prince's no-show "very rude."
In his lawsuit against MGN, Prince Harry alleges that journalists from MGN's titles, including Sunday Mirror and Sunday People, used illicit means to gather information about him. He accuses them of employing private investigators for illicit activities and hacking phones, among other deceptive tactics.
The duke claims that about 140 articles published between 1996 and 2000 were based on unlawfully obtained information, with 33 reportedly chosen for trial presentation.
Sherborne stated on Monday that these articles resulted in "mistrust" between Prince Harry and his brother, Prince William, referencing a December 2003 report from The People that detailed an alleged dispute between the two over Princess Diana's former butler, Paul Burrell.
Sherborne said that the articles resulted in a public airing of private disagreements, leading to the erosion of trust, and sowing the seeds of discord between the brothers.
Now estranged, Prince Harry confirmed the strained relations in his memoir "Spare," released earlier this year. Despite public criticism and an awkward encounter with the royals at his father's coronation ceremony in Westminster Abbey on May 6, it remains unclear whether he met with them before the celebration.
