Prince Harry Drops Bombshells in Phone Hacking Trial Witness Statement
Prince Harry has testified in the phone hacking trial against the publisher of the Daily Mirror, alleging the use of illegal methods to obtain stories about him He has named his brother William, mother Diana, and ex-girlfriend Chelsy Davy as witnesses
Arriving at London's High Court on June 6, Prince Harry testified against the Daily Mirror's publisher, accusing them of using illegal tactics to produce stories about him for several years. During his testimony, the 38-year-old prince referred to his late mother, Princess Diana, his brother Prince William, and his former partners Caroline Flack, Chelsy Davy, and Natalie Pinkham in his 55-page written witness statement, which was released on the same day.
"It's no secret that my relationship with the tabloid press in the UK has been quite challenging, and it continues to be so," he expressed. "As a member of the Royal Family, I've noticed that the tabloid press tends to assign specific roles to each of us. They start with a blank slate and slowly build a persona based on their assumptions about our personalities, problems, and temptations. Once they've figured out which roles generate the most newspaper sales, they push you into playing those roles, especially if you're the 'spare' to the 'heir.' Consequently, you're labeled as the 'playboy prince,' the 'failure,' the 'drop out,' or, in my case, the 'thicko,' the 'cheat,' the 'underage drinker,' 'irresponsible drug taker,' and the list goes on."
Throughout the years, Harry has experienced firsthand the British media's tendency to focus on his failures and criticisms rather than his successes, particularly in regards to his romantic relationships. Despite his marriage to Meghan Markle in 2018, the media has continued to take pleasure in knocking him down.
During their relationship, Prince Harry and Chelsy Davy were often in different countries, making communication through phone calls and voicemails a crucial part of their relationship. They spoke about personal matters and trusted each other with their most private information. However, their travels were often interrupted by journalists and photographers, which led to Davy deciding that a Royal life was not for her, much to Harry's disappointment.
Prince Harry arrives at the High Court June 6, 2023 in London, England. Vianney Le Caer/Shutterstock
The former military pilot expressed in the extensive document, referencing various stories published over time, that he struggled with trusting those within his inner circle due to leaked information regarding his personal relationships. In his writing, he explained that he and William frequently communicated via phone and often exchanged voicemails containing highly confidential details about their personal, family, and professional lives, discussing topics such as their relationships, education, careers, and social plans. The author acknowledged that his brother was also a victim of phone hacking and illegal data collection.
Regarding Princess Kate, he mentioned that they began dating in 2003 and that he had exchanged voicemails with her discussing personal matters as well as making social plans.
In a different section, Harry expressed his shock and disgust upon being shown three handwritten letters from Diana to Michael Barrymore by his solicitors after her death in 1997.
“My mother’s concerns for Mr Barrymore’s well-being were expressed in three letters, dated 23 March, 25 April, and 2 June 1997, respectively. In the letters, she kindly offered him a shoulder to cry on. All three were written during Piers Morgan’s editorship of the Daily Mirror. The thought of Piers Morgan and his team of journalists invading my mother’s privacy and reading her sensitive messages, as they have done to me, is repugnant. Their actions caused her immense distress three months before her death in Paris, and the mere thought of it makes me feel physically sick. Additionally, I have experienced unusual mobile activity over the years.”
He expressed his reluctance to check his voicemail unless the notification icon appeared on his phone, often missing the chance to listen to messages before the symbol disappeared. He was unsure of how long it took for the symbol to disappear after a message was played. He also recalled instances where people asked if he had received their voicemail, but he had not, despite checking his inbox. The Mirror Group refuted the accusations of phone hacking and maintained that their journalists employed lawful means such as public sources, records and insiders to cover stories on Prince Harry.
