Why Prince Harry's trial can turn against him: conversations with his ex, tapped phones, and the excuse of jet lag
The Duke of Sussex is back in London to testify in the case against a publishing group. Prince Harry accuses them of having carried out illegal eavesdropping.
Prince Harry has returned to London. He has done it alone and, judging by what his lawyer said, with jet lag. It is seen that the 8,750 kilometers that separate Los Angeles, where he resides, from the English capital, where the trial in which he testifies this Tuesday is being held, have taken their toll on him. There are 10 and a half hours of travel (non-stop) and eight-time differences. Actually, the Duke of Sussex should have appeared yesterday Monday, but that fatigue is what David Sherborne, Harry's lawyer, argued to excuse his absence.
It is the first time that the son of King Charles III has set foot on British soil since the coronation of his father. On that occasion, his presence was seen and not seen. Everything on that trip was low profile: little noise on arrival, a minor role in the ceremony, and a quick return to the United States to celebrate his son Archie's birthday. Seen and unseen. Nor is much expected from this return in which all he has to do is appear at the trial against Mirror Group Newspapers, publisher of the Mirror newspaper and Sunday People magazine, among other publications. He is not expected to see the family.
What Prince Harry accuses the publishing group Mirror Group Newspapers of?
Prince Harry continues to make history, his way. With the visit that he has made today to the High Court, he becomes the first member of the royal family to testify in more than 130 years. One would have to go back more than a century to find a precedent. Until 1891 when Eduardo VII had to testify for a matter related to illegal card games.
Harry has arrived relaxed, smiling, and wearing a formal outfit: a navy blue suit and a purple tie. It is the first of two days that the Duke of Sussex will have to attend a trial to which he was late (he should have started this Monday, June 6) for celebrating the birthday of his daughter Lilibet on the other side of the pond.
But, what is the prince's trial against the publishing empire about? Basically having had the phone (his and those of close people) tapped, having been listened to in private conversations that were not being heard, and having published at least 140 articles between 1996 and 2010 that contained information that could only be known through those illegal wiretaps.
Harry's lawyer claimed that the duke's phone "had been hacked on several occasions." He has also ensured that the duke (who is in another lawsuit against The Sun and the Daily Mail) does not intend "a general vendetta against the UK media." In the words of his lawyer, what the prince wants is to take advantage of his fame to call attention to a dangerous practice, but apparently quite widespread. In fact, in this trial, which will last about seven weeks, also has the testimonies of four actors, including Michael Turner and Nikki Sanderson from the famous English series Coronation Street.
Among Harry's telephone conversations, supposedly overheard by MGN journalists, were those he had with his brother Guillermo (who delved further into his differences) and his ex-partner, Chelsy Davy. The alleged illegal listening to these talks led to a series of articles, which according to Sherborne, precipitated the end of the relationship in addition to giving the prince depressive episodes.
In addition, the lawyer has also shown articles about Princess Diana, with information allegedly obtained illegally, that affected the prince's mental health. Harry accuses Piers Morgan, then editor of the Daily Mirror, of being primarily responsible. "There were no limits... No aspect of the young prince's life was safe," said Sherborne.
For its part, the defense of the editorial group ensures that all the information was obtained through the usual channels and has asked the judge for more time to question Enrique. Although the prince's war with the British media is nothing new, many have called his presence at the trial reckless, now that his image is more reviled than ever. In fact, the last chapter starring his wife, Meghan Markle, in the streets of New York, has left him very touched. The episode went, in a matter of hours, from a "near catastrophic car chase" to a denial by the city police.
Harry's spokesman explained that “while being a public figure carries a level of public interest, it should never come at the cost of anyone's safety. The dissemination of these images, given the way they were obtained, encourages a highly intrusive practice, which is dangerous for all involved."
The police version was quite different: «On Wednesday night, May 16, the New York police assisted the private security team that was protecting the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Numerous photographers made transporting it a challenge. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrived at their destination and there have been no reported collisions, citations, injuries, Numerous photographers made or arrests in connection therewith."
We will have to wait and see how the trial evolves, but everything seems to indicate that it could end like the incident in the big apple: much ado about nothing. Or as they say in the British empire: "Much ado About Nothing". That, and that he has just shored up the (bad) reputation that the prince is earning on this and the other side of the Atlantic.
