Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, is being censured for his nonappearance on the first day of his ongoing phone-hacking lawsuit against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) in the U.K.
MGN's legal representative reproached Prince Harry for "squandering" the court's resources by not being present at London's High Court on Monday, which marked the commencement of the court proceedings concerning his alleged phone-hacking case, as reported by the Daily Beast.
The Duke's lawyer, David Sherborne, revealed to the court that Prince Harry had arrived late in the U.K. from California, where he had been celebrating his daughter, Lilibet's second birthday on Sunday.
"The Duke of Sussex is attending tomorrow to give evidence. He flew yesterday evening from Los Angeles. He was attending his daughter's birthday yesterday," Sherborne explained.
Sherborne further stated that the Duke's travel and security requirements placed him in a "different category" from his fellow claimants. He also emphasized that the Prince's attendance on Monday was not necessary, as it was expected that the initial procedures would require the whole day.
Judge Timothy Fancourt expressed his surprise at the "first witness" missing the first day of the trial, despite his directive for Prince Harry to be present.
"I was anticipated that they might-which is why I directed that the first witness [Harry] should be available," the judge clarified, as per the BBC.
Accusing Prince Harry of "wasting time", Andrew Green, the lawyer for MGN, expressed astonishment that the Duke was unavailable on the inaugural day of his own lawsuit.
"It's absolutely extraordinary... that he is not available for day one of his own trial," Green stated.
The judge seemed to agree with Green, suggesting the possibility of extended court hours on Tuesday and Wednesday, if needed.
Social media saw mixed reactions to Prince Harry's absence. Some defended the Duke, while others agreed with the judge's sentiment.
One user tweeted, "Prince Harry was only due in court tomorrow. Even the BBC admits it. I have followed the trial since the start. 'It was always known that he would show up to testify in person, in London this week, and his testimony was always scheduled to start on Tuesday, the 6th.'"
Vanity Fair reported that when Prince Harry testifies, he will become the first senior British royal to do so in over a century.
In his opening statement on Monday, Sherborne suggested that the media's fascination with Prince Harry's private life significantly contributed to newspaper sales. He alleged that Prince Harry was one of the most newsworthy figures during this period, having been purportedly hacked on numerous occasions.
Despite these allegations, MGN continues to deny the claims brought forward by Prince Harry and other claimants, citing insufficient evidence and late claims. However, last month, the publisher issued an apology for a 2004 incident of unlawful information gathering by the Sunday People, a tabloid owned by the group.
