Prince Harry’s court battle with a British newspaper over alleged phone hacking is expected to dial up a notch when he takes to the witness box to face what is expected to be an unprecedented grilling of a senior member of the royal family.
The Duke of Sussex is expected to jet into the UK from his home in California to testify – a move that will have aides in Buckingham Palace on high alert and members of the monarchy braced for possible further criticism.
Earlier this year, he described “the mission of changing the media landscape in the UK” as “my life’s work”.
The National spoke to legal and royal experts who said that Prince Harry was “playing with fire”.
The second son of King Charles III is among more than 100 people suing Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) over alleged unlawful information gathering and invasions of privacy.
The case is one of several legal battles the duke has on the table in the UK against the country’s largest tabloids.
Since stepping down from royal duties in early 2020 in protest over his family’s treatment of him and his wife Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry has been relentless in speaking out against what he perceives as injustices.
The duke will testify at London’s High Court on a date in early or mid-June, the Associated Press reported, citing lawyers and a preliminary schedule of witnesses.
'Prince Harry is playing with fire'
Andrew Lownie, a royal biographer, likened the prince’s determination to alter the fabric of the country’s press to playing an unwise game in which he could get hurt.
Harry has admitted that his father, King Charles III, warned him such a pursuit would amount to a “suicide mission”.
But the father of two appears to be undeterred in his calling.
“He is playing with fire here,” Lownie told The National. “Harry is like a bull in a china shop.
“He blames the media for the death of his mother.
“The monarchy works when everything is not in the news, or at least when they can shape the news agenda. This is a distraction from that.”
Lownie said as the duke's witness testimony nears, there will no doubt be nervousness among aides in Buckingham Palace over the prospect of further accusations being made about members of the royal family.
British royals in court - in pictures
King Charles’s coronation in May proved a major success for the institution in terms of publicity and popularity among the public. Since ascending the throne upon the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II last September, the 74-year-old has worked to make the role his own and thrown himself into the causes closest to his heart.
But his first year has not been without upsets, most notably due to the release of Prince Harry’s tell-all book, Spare, in which he branded Queen Camilla “dangerous” and accused Prince William of physically attacking him.
“It must be hugely embarrassing for the royal family just the fact that he is appearing in court,” Lownie said. “Who knows what he will say. He could throw further incendiary bombs into the royal family.
“We kind of think, can it go to a lower depth? I think it can.
“He is in attack mode. It’s extraordinary. He may have all sorts of revelations about members of the family. They just don’t have the power to stop him.”
If Prince Harry chooses to use the witness box as a platform to drop unpleasant revelations about the royals, it will leave them in a “very, very tricky” position,” he added.
The prince last week lost a legal application to enter three new witness statements into evidence in the trial against MGN.
Despite suffering setbacks, he appears to be undeterred in his quest to hold to account media outlets he feels wronged by.
King's son set for 'tough grilling'
Gregory Monk, a solicitor specialising in reputation and privacy at Vardags law firm in London, traced the prince’s bull-headed approach back to his days serving in the British Army.
“[Prince] Harry has made it his life’s mission to change the press,” Mr Monk told The National. “He found meaning in the army and he has decided to tackle this head on.”
Mr Monk said given that Prince Harry appears to have opted for an in-person appearance before the court, when he could easily have given evidence via video link from the US, emphasises his sense of purpose in the legal fight.
The prince should be prepared for a tough grilling by his opponent’s lawyers, he said.
“Harry has shown himself to be willing to be grilled, and to do so in public,” Mr Monk said. “He didn’t have to. There are enough people involved as claimants in this case that the legal principles could have been decided without his involvement.
“You never know how someone is going to react under questioning,” he added.
“These barristers are skilled and will be well prepared. You can expect them to treat Harry with respect, but they won’t do him any favours. They are there to win for their client.
“He will be treated like any other witness and the judge will decide what weight to give to his evidence.
“It’s tough being in the witness box. It’s not a pleasant experience and cases can be won or lost by how witnesses perform under cross-examination.”
While Harry’s decisive moment in court will be significant, it will not be the first time a senior member of the royal family finds themself before a court.
Princess Anne appeared in court in 2002 when she pleaded guilty to a charge under the Dangerous Dogs Act. The case related to an incident in which her English bull terrier, called Dotty, bit two children in Windsor Great Park, and led to her being the first royal to be convicted of a criminal offence.
Richard Fitzwilliams, a royal author and commentator, said Prince Harry’s time in court will still be an “enormously significant” moment for the British monarchy.
“The Sussexes have a habit of surprising and you never quite know what they are going to do,” Fitzwilliams told The National. “It is unclear what evidence may come out. Something sensational could emerge.”
Prince Harry and Meghan's rift with the royal family has been well documented since they departed the institution, known as The Firm, three years ago.
The prince attended his father's coronation last month, but Meghan and their two young children, Archie and Lilibet, did not join him.
The Sussexes made headlines a short while later when a spokesperson alleged that the couple and Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland, “were involved in a near-catastrophic car chase at the hands of a ring of highly aggressive paparazzi”. Their representative claimed the incident happened after the three had attended an awards ceremony in New York where the duchess was honoured.
Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion
The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.
Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".
The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.
He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.
"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.
As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.
MWTC info
Tickets to the MWTC range from Dh100 and can be purchased from www.ticketmaster.ae or by calling 800 86 823 from within the UAE or 971 4 366 2289 from outside the country and all Virgin Megastores. Fans looking to attend all three days of the MWTC can avail of a special 20 percent discount on ticket prices.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Indoor Cricket World Cup Dubai 2017
Venue Insportz, Dubai; Admission Free
Day 1 fixtures (Saturday)
Men 1.45pm, Malaysia v Australia (Court 1); Singapore v India (Court 2); UAE v New Zealand (Court 3); South Africa v Sri Lanka (Court 4)
Women Noon, New Zealand v South Africa (Court 3); England v UAE (Court 4); 5.15pm, Australia v UAE (Court 3); England v New Zealand (Court 4)
All or Nothing
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Four stars
More on animal trafficking
Venom
Director: Ruben Fleischer
Cast: Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Riz Ahmed
Rating: 1.5/5
Bio:
Favourite Quote: Prophet Mohammad's quotes There is reward for kindness to every living thing and A good man treats women with honour
Favourite Hobby: Serving poor people
Favourite Book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite food: Fish and vegetables
Favourite place to visit: London
Tree of Hell
Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla
Director: Raed Zeno
Rating: 4/5
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
CREW
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What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
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The biog
Name: Fareed Lafta
Age: 40
From: Baghdad, Iraq
Mission: Promote world peace
Favourite poet: Al Mutanabbi
Role models: His parents
About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
Voices: How A Great Singer Can Change Your Life
Nick Coleman
Jonathan Cape
MATCH INFO
Fixture: Ukraine v Portugal, Monday, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: BeIN Sports
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Analysis
Maros Sefcovic is juggling multiple international trade agreement files, but his message was clear when he spoke to The National on Wednesday.
The EU-UAE bilateral trade deal will be finalised soon, he said. It is in everyone’s interests to do so. Both sides want to move quickly and are in alignment. He said the UAE is a very important partner for the EU. It’s full speed ahead - and with some lofty ambitions - on the road to a free trade agreement.
We also talked about US-EU tariffs. He answered that both sides need to talk more and more often, but he is prepared to defend Europe's position and said diplomacy should be a guiding principle through the current moment.
Why your domicile status is important
Your UK residence status is assessed using the statutory residence test. While your residence status – ie where you live - is assessed every year, your domicile status is assessed over your lifetime.
Your domicile of origin generally comes from your parents and if your parents were not married, then it is decided by your father. Your domicile is generally the country your father considered his permanent home when you were born.
UK residents who have their permanent home ("domicile") outside the UK may not have to pay UK tax on foreign income. For example, they do not pay tax on foreign income or gains if they are less than £2,000 in the tax year and do not transfer that gain to a UK bank account.
A UK-domiciled person, however, is liable for UK tax on their worldwide income and gains when they are resident in the UK.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Name: Peter Dicce
Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics
Favourite sport: soccer
Favourite team: Bayern Munich
Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer
Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates
The currency conundrum
Russ Mould, investment director at online trading platform AJ Bell, says almost every major currency has challenges right now. “The US has a huge budget deficit, the euro faces political friction and poor growth, sterling is bogged down by Brexit, China’s renminbi is hit by debt fears while slowing Chinese growth is hurting commodity exporters like Australia and Canada.”
Most countries now actively want a weak currency to make their exports more competitive. “China seems happy to let the renminbi drift lower, the Swiss are still running quantitative easing at full tilt and central bankers everywhere are actively talking down their currencies or offering only limited support," says Mr Mould.
This is a race to the bottom, and everybody wants to be a winner.
