Hiring private detectives and tapping phones: Prince Harry testified in a London court against the Daily Mail tabloid

Seven celebrities, including Prince Harry, Elton John, and Elizabeth Hurley, have filed a class action lawsuit against the renowned British newspaper the Daily Mail. They accuse the tabloid of illegally collecting information between 1993 and 2011 for the purpose of writing sensational articles about the stars.

The 41-year-old Duke of Sussex, along with his lawyer, David Sherborne, arrived at a London courthouse for a court hearing against Associated Newspapers Ltd. (which includes the Daily Mail). Also appearing in court were Elizabeth Hurley and Jude Law's ex-wife, Sadie Frost, who is also listed among the plaintiffs. She intends to prove that she suffered at the hands of Daily Mail journalists during her divorce from the actor in 2003.

The court will examine the numerous illegal methods used by the publication's journalists to obtain information about celebrities—hacked phones and social media, wiretapped cars and phone conversations, and installed bugs. This was allegedly carried out by private detectives hired by Associated Newspapers Ltd.

The opening statement accuses Daily Mail royal editor Rebecca English of having "obtained precise details about the plane seats, flight times, and travel plans of Chelsy Davy, Prince Harry's ex-girlfriend, in December 2007," the BBC reports. The document notes that this information may have been obtained illegally through private investigator Mike Bear. The document on this case alone runs to approximately 180 pages.

Prince Harry's lawyer, David Sherborne, claimed in his testimony that Associated Newspapers had a decades-long culture of illegally disclosing damaging information that "ruined the lives of many." The company itself denies the allegations, which Sherborne finds absurd. "They knew they had skeletons in their closet."

Prince Harry appeared in court for the second time in his life. In 2023, he made history by becoming the first senior member of the royal family to testify in court in over a century.

The celebrities' lawyers have gathered extensive evidence accusing the Daily Mail of violating their privacy, and the trial, which is being watched by the entire British press, is expected to last nine weeks. Meghan Markle, Jude Law, and other celebrities are expected to testify.

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