The Duke of Sussex arrives at the High Court in London on Tuesday, where he is expected to give evidence in his trial against a British tabloid newspaper. AFP
The Duke of Sussex arrives at the High Court in London on Tuesday, where he is expected to give evidence in his trial against a British tabloid newspaper. AFP
The Duke of Sussex arrives at the High Court in London on Tuesday, where he is expected to give evidence in his trial against a British tabloid newspaper. AFP
The Duke of Sussex arrives at the High Court in London on Tuesday, where he is expected to give evidence in his trial against a British tabloid newspaper. AFP

Why is Prince Harry appearing at the High Court?


Laura O'Callaghan
  • English
  • Arabic

The Duke of Sussex arrived at London's High Court on Tuesday morning for his trial against a British tabloid newspaper over alleged phone hacking.

Prince Harry, 38, dashed from his vehicle into the court, after being greeted at the door by his barrister David Sherborne.

The father-of-two, who failed to turn up at the court on Monday, declined to answer questions from a crowd of waiting journalists.

The prince will give evidence from the witness box later on Tuesday.

The duke is among more than 100 high-profile figures who have brought a lawsuit against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) over contested allegations of unlawful information gathering.

King Charles III’s son, who is fifth in line to the throne, could have given evidence by video link from his home in the US but is understood to have favoured an in-person grilling by MGN’s lawyers.

– Why is Prince Harry suing MGN?

He is one of a large group including actors, TV personalities, sports stars and singers who are suing the publisher of the Daily Mirror, the Sunday Mirror and Sunday People.

They are seeking compensation over allegations MGN was involved in the unlawful sourcing of their personal information for stories.

Claims brought by four people, including Prince Harry, are being heard in a civil trial as “representative” cases of the types of allegations facing the publisher, which could affect the outcome of other claims.

It has been alleged that MGN’s journalists were linked to voicemail interception, colloquially known as phone hacking, securing information through deception and hiring private investigators for unlawful activities.

Prince Harry’s case covers the period from 1995 to 2011.

His lawyers have told the trial that such practices were “habitual and widespread” amid a “flood of illegality”.

– What has MGN said in its defence?

At the beginning of the legal fight, MGN admitted and apologised for one instance of the Sunday People unlawfully seeking details about Harry’s personal life and accepted his entitlement to compensation.

It conceded that a private investigator was instructed by an MGN journalist at the newspaper to collect facts about Harry’s activities at Chinawhite nightclub one night in February 2004.

The publisher has denied Harry’s further allegations, arguing there is a lack of evidence to support them.

MGN says board members have denied knowledge of unlawful information-gathering activities and claims there is “no evidence, or no sufficient evidence, of voicemail interception” in any of the four claims chosen as representative cases – some of which it claims are brought too late.

– How has the trial gone so far?

The trial, taking place before the judge, Mr Justice Fancourt, has been focused on witnesses and evidence relating to the “generic” allegations against MGN that feature in claims against it.

Over two and a half weeks, the court has heard from a former MGN chief executive denying involvement in covering up unlawful practices, while an ex-director and former lawyer at the publisher defended their accounts of when they became aware of such activity.

Ex-private investigators and former MGN journalists have also faced questions over the “dark arts” and “illegal” methods allegedly used to source information, the knowledge of MGN editors and executives and whether certain stories were legitimately obtained.

– What is happening in the trial this week?

The trial will focus on the representative claims, beginning with the duke.

Prince Harry was expected to be at court on Monday but did not appear.

Mr Sherborne, representing the duke and the other claimants, said as the hearing began on Monday that Prince Harry had flown to the UK from Los Angeles last night, as he was celebrating his daughter Lilibet’s second birthday on Sunday.

Mr Justice Fancourt, the judge hearing the case, said he was “a little surprised” to hear the prince would not be attending court on the first day.

The judge said he gave a direction earlier in the trial that witnesses should be available the day before their evidence was due to be heard in case the legal teams’ opening speeches ran short.

Andrew Green KC, for MGN, said he wished to have at least a day and a half to cross-examine the duke and was “deeply troubled” he would not be attending before Tuesday.

On Tuesday, Prince Harry's lawyers and MGN’s legal team will set out their opening arguments on his case, and the duke is expected to give evidence from the witness box.

Prince Harry's visit is expected to be brief, just like his trip home for his father's coronation in May.

British royals in court - in pictures

The cross-examination is likely to focus on Buckingham Palace, with MGN suggesting that some details it had gathered originated from royal aides.

Andrew Lownie, a royal biographer, told The National that the prince is “playing with fire” in his legal battles with parts of the British media.

He said Prince Harry “blames the media for the death of his mother” and his campaign to take on the press is a “distraction” from the monarchy's mostly-positive relationship with journalists.

Gregory Monk, a solicitor specialising in reputation and privacy at Vardags law firm in London, said the king's son should not expect to be treated differently from any other person in the witness box when he faces MGN's lawyers.

“You can expect them to treat Harry with respect, but they won’t do him any favours,” Mr Monk told The National. “They are there to win for their client.”

Prince Harry told ITV's Tom Bradby that it is his “life's mission” to change certain elements of the media, a campaign which he said his father had likened to a “suicide mission”.

– Will it be Prince Harry's first time in the High Court?

No. In March, Harry made a surprise appearance at the Royal Courts of Justice in London amid a preliminary hearing in a similar case he is bringing against Associated Newspapers Limited, publisher of the Daily Mail.

The Duke is also suing News Group Newspapers, publisher of The Sun, over alleged unlawful information gathering, and is bringing a legal challenge against the Home Office about his security arrangements in the UK.

Prince Harry said his father King Charles told him that trying to change the British media was a 'suicide mission'. Getty
Prince Harry said his father King Charles told him that trying to change the British media was a 'suicide mission'. Getty

– When can a ruling be expected?

The trial is due to conclude by the end of June and Mr Justice Fancourt is expected to give his written ruling later in the year.

The National's picks

4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young

MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Part three: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

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 

 

if you go

The flights
Fly direct to Kutaisi with Flydubai from Dh925 return, including taxes. The flight takes 3.5 hours. From there, Svaneti is a four-hour drive. The driving time from Tbilisi is eight hours.
The trip
The cost of the Svaneti trip is US$2,000 (Dh7,345) for 10 days, including food, guiding, accommodation and transfers from and to ­Tbilisi or Kutaisi. This summer the TCT is also offering a 5-day hike in Armenia for $1,200 (Dh4,407) per person. For further information, visit www.transcaucasiantrail.org/en/hike/

THREE
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SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20SAMSUNG%20GALAXY%20S24%20ULTRA
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GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

The%20Color%20Purple
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Disability on screen

Empire — neuromuscular disease myasthenia gravis; bipolar disorder; post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Rosewood and Transparent — heart issues

24: Legacy — PTSD;

Superstore and NCIS: New Orleans — wheelchair-bound

Taken and This Is Us — cancer

Trial & Error — cognitive disorder prosopagnosia (facial blindness and dyslexia)

Grey’s Anatomy — prosthetic leg

Scorpion — obsessive compulsive disorder and anxiety

Switched at Birth — deafness

One Mississippi, Wentworth and Transparent — double mastectomy

Dragons — double amputee

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Our legal columnist

Name: Yousef Al Bahar

Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994

Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers

FA%20Cup%20semi-final%20draw
%3Cp%3ECoventry%20City%20v%20Manchester%20United%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EManchester%20City%20v%20Chelsea%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E-%20Games%20to%20be%20played%20at%20Wembley%20Stadium%20on%20weekend%20of%20April%2020%2F21.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Godzilla%20x%20Kong%3A%20The%20New%20Empire
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAdam%20Wingard%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EBrian%20Tyree%20Henry%2C%20Rebecca%20Hall%2C%20Dan%20Stevens%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
In Praise of Zayed

A thousand grains of Sand whirl in the sky
To mark the journey of one passer-by
If then a Cavalcade disturbs the scene,
Shall such grains sing before they start to fly?

What man of Honour, and to Honour bred
Will fear to go wherever Truth has led?
For though a Thousand urge him to retreat
He'll laugh, until such counsellors have fled.

Stands always One, defiant and alone
Against the Many, when all Hope has flown.
Then comes the Test; and only then the time
Of reckoning what each can call his own.

History will not forget: that one small Seed
Sufficed to tip the Scales in time of need.
More than a debt, the Emirates owe to Zayed
Their very Souls, from outside influence freed.
No praise from Roderic can increase his Fame.
Steadfastness was the Essence of his name.
The changing years grow Gardens in the Sand
And build new Roads to Sand which stays the same.
But Hearts are not rebuilt, nor Seed resown.
What was, remains, essentially Alone.
Until the Golden Messenger, all-wise,
Calls out: "Come now, my Friend!" - and All is known

- Roderic Fenwick Owen

What are the GCSE grade equivalents?
 
  • Grade 9 = above an A*
  • Grade 8 = between grades A* and A
  • Grade 7 = grade A
  • Grade 6 = just above a grade B
  • Grade 5 = between grades B and C
  • Grade 4 = grade C
  • Grade 3 = between grades D and E
  • Grade 2 = between grades E and F
  • Grade 1 = between grades F and G
Pathaan
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Siddharth%20Anand%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Shah%20Rukh%20Khan%2C%20Deepika%20Padukone%2C%20John%20Abraham%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
FULL%20FIGHT%20CARD
%3Cp%3EFeatherweight%20Bout%3A%0D%20Abdullah%20Al%20Qahtani%20v%20Taha%20Bendaoud%0D%3Cbr%3EBantamweight%20Bout%3A%0D%20Ali%20Taleb%20v%20Nawras%20Abzakh%0D%3Cbr%3EBantamweight%20Bout%3A%0D%20Xavier%20Alaoui%20v%20Rachid%20El%20Hazoume%0D%3Cbr%3EFeatherweight%20Bout%3A%0D%20Islam%20Reda%20v%20Adam%20Meskini%0D%3Cbr%3EBantamweight%20Bout%3A%0D%20Tariq%20Ismail%20v%20Jalal%20Al%20Daaja%0D%3Cbr%3EBantamweight%20Bout%3A%0D%20Elias%20Boudegzdame%20v%20Hassan%20Mandour%0D%3Cbr%3EAmateur%20Female%20Atomweight%20Bout%3A%0D%20Hattan%20Al%20Saif%20v%20Nada%20Faheem%0D%3Cbr%3EFeatherweight%20Bout%3A%0D%20Maraoune%20Bellagouit%20v%20Motaz%20Askar%0D%3Cbr%3EFeatherweight%20Bout%3A%0D%20Ahmed%20Tarek%20v%20Abdelrahman%20Alhyasat%0D%3Cbr%3EShowcase%20Featherweight%20Bout%3A%0D%20Mido%20Mohamed%20v%20Yazeed%20Hasanain%0D%3Cbr%3EShowcase%20Flyweight%20Bout%3A%0D%20Malik%20Basahel%20v%20Harsh%20Pandya%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
War and the virus
The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Match info:

Manchester City 2
Sterling (8'), Walker (52')

Newcastle United 1
Yedlin (30')

HEADLINE HERE
  • I would recommend writing out the text in the body 
  • And then copy into this box
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  • Be wary of other embeds lengthy fact boxes could crash into 
  • That's about it
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Niki%20Caro%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Jennifer%20Lopez%2C%20Joseph%20Fiennes%2C%20Gael%20Garcia%20Bernal%2C%20Omari%20Hardwick%20and%20Lucy%20Paez%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

Specs

Engine: 51.5kW electric motor

Range: 400km

Power: 134bhp

Torque: 175Nm

Price: From Dh98,800

Available: Now

Why seagrass matters
  • Carbon sink: Seagrass sequesters carbon up to 35X faster than tropical rainforests
  • Marine nursery: Crucial habitat for juvenile fish, crustations, and invertebrates
  • Biodiversity: Support species like sea turtles, dugongs, and seabirds
  • Coastal protection: Reduce erosion and improve water quality
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
  • Riders must be 14-years-old or over
  • Wear a protective helmet
  • Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
  • Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
  • Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
  • Do not drive outside designated lanes
The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat 

The specs
 
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Hajj 

4. Shahada 

5. Zakat 

Where to apply

Applicants should send their completed applications - CV, covering letter, sample(s) of your work, letter of recommendation - to Nick March, Assistant Editor in Chief at The National and UAE programme administrator for the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism, by 5pm on April 30, 2020

Please send applications to nmarch@thenational.ae and please mark the subject line as “Rosalynn Carter Fellowship for Mental Health Journalism (UAE programme application)”.

The local advisory board will consider all applications and will interview a short list of candidates in Abu Dhabi in June 2020. Successful candidates will be informed before July 30, 2020. 

Porsche Macan T: The Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo 

Power: 265hp from 5,000-6,500rpm 

Torque: 400Nm from 1,800-4,500rpm 

Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto 

Speed: 0-100kph in 6.2sec 

Top speed: 232kph 

Fuel consumption: 10.7L/100km 

On sale: May or June 

Price: From Dh259,900  

The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

Updated: June 06, 2023, 10:20 AM`