Prince Harry faces accusations of deliberately destroying potential evidence pertinent to his high court phone hacking claim against a major UK publisher.
This development has sparked scrutiny over the role of his ghostwriter, Jr Moringa, and whether Moringa has addressed the issue of the deleted evidence. Harry claims to have deleted texts exchanged with Moringa via WhatsApp, though it's known that messages can be deleted by both sender and recipient. However, Moringa might have saved these messages or kept notes from their conversations.
In legal cases involving the British royal family, staff typically archive all related materials, including meeting notes and attendees, which could potentially provide alternative avenues to retrieve lost information. Despite Harry's claim of losing all evidence, it is unlikely that he will receive assistance from the royal family in this matter, as any requested documents would be provided without interference to avoid any perception of meddling in a court case.
Joshua Liik, a ghostwriter, noted on Twitter that ghostwriters typically retain everything unless contractually obliged to destroy documents, prompting questions about the prevalence of such destruction clauses in contracts. Harry's lawyers assert that all previous drafts have been deleted and destroyed, yet it's improbable that the publisher hasn't retained copies of every document or message from Harry, potentially safeguarding themselves against defamation claims related to his memoir.
Similarly, Moringa likely possesses comprehensive records, such as screenshots of messages, as indicated by previous discussions. This situation evokes Richard Eden's earlier commentary, suggesting that the revelations in Harry's memoir might not encompass everything noteworthy. Moreover, supporters of Harry and Meghan referenced interactions between Moringa and Penguin Random House's lawyers, underscoring ongoing legal complexities.
In his New Yorker article dated May 8, 2023, Moringa recounted his years-long collaboration with Harry on the memoir, detailing multiple edits and the digital trail of their communications. Despite the legal backdrop, Moringa didn't explicitly address the deleted phone hacking evidence but affirmed a substantial level of interaction with Harry, suggesting potential additional facets to the narrative.
Overall, the unfolding legal disputes and allegations of evidence tampering cast a spotlight on issues of transparency and accountability within Prince Harry's public and private life, adding further layers to an already complex narrative.
