Prince Harry faces the British press in a new trial: he alleges that they used illegal practices to access private information

According to the Duke of Sussex, one of the reasons for his move to the United States was the constant harassment of the British press. This trial, which could last for several weeks, puts him back in the center of media attention.

As well as Harry, Tom Watson, a former leading member of the Labor Party and current member of the House of Lords, is also listed as a plaintiff against the publishing group. Both accuse NGN of hiring private detectives, using illegal techniques to collect information and of covering up said actions by deleting emails that compromise them.

For its part, the spokesperson for the publishing group described the accusations as “false” and “unfounded.” In addition, he announced that during the trial they will present testimonies from technology experts, lawyers and senior officials that will help prove his innocence.

It should be noted that this is not the first time that Harry has faced the British media. In 2023, he won the lawsuit against Mirror Group Newspapers, publisher of the ‘Daily Mirror’ for hacking his phone to publish articles about him. With that victory, Prince William’s brother became the first member of the Royal Family to testify at a trial in more than a century.

Compared to the previous trial, this one does not include the accusations of wiretapping because the legal deadline to act on it has already expired. Furthermore, it is worth noting that Rupert Murdoch’s group, owner of NGN, has faced numerous similar scandals in the past. The closure of ‘News of the World’ in 2011 occurred after it was discovered that the tabloid had systematically used phone hacking and, since then, the publisher has reached out-of-court settlements with around 1,300 lawsuits, shelling out approximately £1 billion to avoid litigation.

For his part, the Duke of Sussex has said he wants to get to the truth, after 40 other plaintiffs, including actor Hugh Grant, reached an agreement with NGN to avoid the risk of paying a multimillion-dollar legal bill that could be imposed even if they won the trial. According to the Hollywood star, taking his case to trial could have cost him up to £10 million in legal costs.

This new trial marks another chapter in Prince Harry’s fight to protect his privacy and hold accountable the media that he says have crossed ethical and legal boundaries. The next few weeks will be decisive to know if the son of Charles III again achieves a victory against the British press.