The High Court in London has ruled in Prince Harry’s favor in his phone hacking case against Mirror Group Newspapers this week. He was awarded $180,000 in damages for 15 of the 33 articles in the suit. The Duke of Sussex filed claims against The Sun and the Daily Mirror involving "illegal interception of voicemail messages," according to a statement made by Buckingham Palace in 2019. Harry alleged the phone hacking happened between 1991 and 2011, and was in court in London this summer providing hours of testimony.
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Prince Harry was not in attendance when the verdict was given.
"This case is not just about hacking, it’s about a systemic practice of unlawful and appalling behavior, followed by cover-ups and destruction of evidence, the shocking scale of which can only be revealed through these proceedings," read a statement from Prince Harry via lawyer David Sherborne after the verdict was given.
It seems like everyone is ready to move on — including the tabloids.
"I hope that the court’s finding will serve as a warning to all media organizations who have employed these practices and then similarly lied about it," the statement continued. "My commitment to seeing this case through is based on my belief in our need and collective right to a free and honest press. The mission continues."
A spokesperson from the publisher said, "We welcome today’s judgment that gives the business the necessary clarity to move forward from events that took place many years ago."
Earlier in the trial, Prince Harry didn't arrive to testify as scheduled.
The trial began on June 5, and Prince Harry was missing for the first day, which went against the judge’s orders. Harry's lawyer told Judge Timothy Fancourt that he was late arriving due to his daughter Lilibet’s second birthday.
"I’m a little surprised," Fancourt said, explaining that he wanted the prince in court on the first day of testifying.
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Harry had to take the stand for almost eight hours.
Harry took the stand and testified in court about many topics of his personal life that had been covered extensively in MGN’s papers. During his time on the stand, he read the court a detailed note about his relationship with ex-girlfriend Chelsy Davy.
He was then cross-examined for more than seven hours by defense lawyer Andrew Green, who was representing MGN. During his time on the stand, Harry, in a heated moment, asked, "Are you suggesting that while I was in the army that everything was available for the press to write about?"
Green replied, "Can I just repeat this isn’t about you asking me questions, it’s about me asking you questions."
MGN largely denied most of the allegations.
MGN denied wrongdoing in most of the allegations made against it in the phone-hacking case by the royal. However, the company did admit to unlawful news gathering, but only in one instance when it admitted that the Sunday People tabloid did hire a private investigator to get information about Harry while he was at a nightclub in London in 2004.
MGN "unreservedly apologizes and accepts that [Harry] is entitled to appropriate compensation."
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