London (Parliament Politics Magazine) January 19, 2026 – Prince Harry attended the High Court as his civil case against Associated Newspapers Limited opened, alleging the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday publishers engaged in systematic unlawful information gathering including bugging cars and hiring private investigators. Joined by claimants Sir Elton John, Elizabeth Hurley, Baroness Doreen Lawrence, David Furnish, Sir Simon Hughes, and Sadie Frost, Harry’s barrister David Sherborne claimed mass document destruction and impossible-to-obtain private details in articles. ANL denied all allegations as preposterous, with the trial before Mr Justice Nicklin set to last nine weeks.
Prince Harry arrived at the Royal Courts of Justice wearing a dark suit and black tie for the first day of his third major lawsuit against UK newspaper groups. The Duke of Sussex sat in Court 76 alongside fellow claimants as proceedings commenced at 15:31 GMT under Mr Justice Nicklin.
As reported by Imogen James of BBC News, claimants’ barrister David Sherborne opened by stating there was “no way” certain article details could have been lawfully obtained, including private phone numbers, flight tracking data, and travel plans.
Detailed Allegations of Unlawful Information Gathering Methods
Sherborne detailed specific unlawful practices allegedly employed by ANL from the 1990s onward. Claimants accuse the publisher of phone hacking, illegally accessing voicemail messages; phone tapping, recording live calls; and blagging, deceiving institutions for private records such as financial or medical information. As reported by Helena Wilkinson of BBC News, these methods formed core claims of
“grave breaches of privacy”.
Additional allegations include hiring private investigators to plant listening devices in cars and unlawfully gather information on high-profile targets. As reported by Imogen James of BBC News, Sherborne alleged “systematic use” of 14 named individuals—described by ANL as search agents—to target claimants.
Sherborne linked practices to Leveson Inquiry testimony. As reported by Imogen James of BBC News, ANL senior executives denied wrongdoing in 2011-2012, but claimants’ evidence would prove those statements false, demonstrating
“clear, systematic and sustained use of unlawful information gathering at both the Daily Mail and the Mail on Sunday”.
He accused ANL of concealing evidence. As reported by Imogen James of BBC News, Sherborne claimed “mass destruction” of pre-2004 emails, summarising
“In short, there are masses upon masses”
of missing documents. The publisher allegedly
“knew they had skeletons in their closet”.
ANL’s Strong Denial and Defence Preparations
Associated Newspapers Limited categorically rejected the claims. As reported by Helena Wilkinson of BBC News, ANL labelled allegations “preposterous” and “lurid”, mounting a robust defence of its journalism.
In 2023, ANL unsuccessfully sought dismissal, arguing claims came too late. Claimants countered with new evidence surfacing from covert methods unknown at the time. Antony White KC, ANL’s lead barrister and media law specialist since 2001, will present the publisher’s opening following Sherborne.
Witnesses may include former Daily Mail editor Paul Dacre. The civil trial seeks financial damages, typical in privacy breach victories.
Courtroom Atmosphere and Key Arrivals on Opening Day
Tom Symonds of BBC News described Court 76 as a standard modern space with pale wood panelling and legal bookshelves. Elizabeth Hurley entered with son Damian; Sadie Frost and David Sherborne arrived separately.
Prince Harry, not testifying today, positioned himself near reporters. As reported by Helena Wilkinson of BBC News, no last-minute settlement emerged, unlike his News Group Newspapers case where NGN apologised for 1996-2011 intrusions and paid substantial damages.
Proceedings unfolded without jury, relying on Mr Justice Nicklin’s review of documents, witness statements, and live testimony. Pre-trial hearings revealed judicial irritation with expansive tactics, aiming to prevent a second Leveson-style inquiry.
Prince Harry’s Legal History Against Press Groups
This represents Harry’s third newspaper lawsuit. In 2023, he won against Mirror Group Newspapers, testifying over days as the first modern royal in the witness box. That victory confirmed unlawful acts, awarding damages.
A News Group Newspapers settlement preceded trial. Harry expects testimony later this week per draft timetable, potentially spanning multiple days given case volume.
Sean Coughlan and Tom Symonds of BBC News noted the proceedings’ familiarity yet distinct context from prior battles.
Opening Day Reactions from Campaigners and Commentators
Campaign group Hacked Off responded to the trial’s start, linking it to broader press accountability. Hacked Off @hackinginquiry said in X post,
“The Govt risks humiliation if it continues to outsource its media policy to the Daily Mail, which now faces lengthy court battles over allegations of illegal spying – not just hacking phones but bugging cars and listening in to private conversations” says @HackedOffHugh https://t.co/wvww9GpNx1 #PrinceHarry.
“The Govt risks humiliation if it continues to outsource its media policy to the Daily Mail, which now faces lengthy court battles over allegations of illegal spying – not just hacking phones but bugging cars and listening in to private conversations” says @HackedOffHugh…
— Hacked Off (@hackinginquiry) November 10, 2023
Royal commentator Lady Colin Campbell highlighted ANL’s counter-claims emerging pre-trial. Lady C @LadyColinCampb said in X post,
“Yesterday was a particularly busy and somewhat too stimulating day for me, as I had to contact some interested parties in what threatens to become a conflagration that could consume the reputations and possibly a whole lot more (including the finances and even freedom) of Prince Harry, his fellow Claimants and their lawyers, in their phone hacking action against the @DailyMail.
To me, it is truly unbelievable that the press has been focussing on the fact that Harry claimed that he did not know that his lawyers were dragging William and Catherine’s names into their lawsuit, while ignoring the far more ominous fact, which is that Associated Newspapers’ lawyers have basically accused Harry’s side of entering into a Criminal Conspiracy to pervert the course of justice – they call it a “camouflage scheme” which is a polite way of saying the same thing.
The consequences, for Harry and even more immediately actress Sadie Frost and former Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader as well as one-time Minister of State at the Department of Justice Sir Simon Hughes (there surely goes the excuse of ignorance of the law) are potentially very inconvenient at best, and for Frost and Hughes pretty severe, in that the evidence before the court suggests that they voluntarily and actively colluded with the “camouflage scheme” without which the case would not have been able to be brought at all. The matter is extremely complex though very simple, and while this platform does not allow me the luxury of exploring its ramifications in any depth, I will be doing so elsewhere.
There is a lot more at stake here than just the desire of the Hacked Off cabal to further their ambition to introduce press censorship through judicial rulings since Parliament declined to do so via statute, while enriching themselves with claims that could not have been made save for their creation of their “camouflage scheme” using a notorious outlet which has already been shown to set up others unjustly (think @danwootton, whom they tried to have imprisoned on fabricated grounds whcih were ultimately discredited by the Police in both England and Scotland), but this sadly is not the forum to delve further into the matter.”
Yesterday was a particularly busy and somewhat too stimulating day for me, as I had to contact some interested parties in what threatens to become a conflagration that could consume the reputations and possibly a whole lot more (including the finances and even freedom) of Prince…
— Lady C (@LadyColinCampb) October 4, 2025
Leveson Inquiry Historical Background and Press Scandals
Claims reference the Leveson Inquiry (2011-2012), chaired by Sir Brian Leveson in a nearby courtroom, probing press ethics post-2000s phone-hacking exposures. ANL executives testified denying impropriety across titles.
Sherborne positions current evidence as contradicting those denials. The inquiry followed News of the World voicemail interceptions of murder victim Milly Dowler and royals, prompting closures and arrests.
Hacked Off, claimants’ backer, lobbied post-Leveson for statutory regulation, rejected by Parliament favouring Royal Charter self-regulation.
Trial Mechanics, Timeline, and Judicial Oversight
Openings extend three days: Sherborne today, White KC following. Evidence phases include cross-examinations through March, totalling nine weeks.
Mr Justice Nicklin enforces boundaries, frustrated pre-trial by scope creep. Reporters Imogen James, Helena Wilkinson (edited by Marita Moloney), and Tom Symonds provide live coverage.
Civil nature precludes criminal charges; remedies limit to damages compensating verified breaches.
Claimant Profiles and Shared Grievances
- Prince Harry: Third case, prior Mirror win.
- Sir Elton John and David Furnish: Allege family targeting.
- Elizabeth Hurley: Present with son Damian.
- Baroness Doreen Lawrence: Stephen Lawrence murder campaigner.
- Sir Simon Hughes: Former Liberal Democrat deputy leader and justice minister.
- Sadie Frost: Actress.
All unified under Sherborne, alleging parallel experiences of covert surveillance fueling stories.
Broader Implications for UK Press Regulation
Trial revives debates on press freedom versus privacy post-Leveson. Campaigners view success as advancing accountability; publishers warn of judicial overreach stifling journalism.
ANL frames claims as belated attacks on legitimate reporting. No immediate government comment emerged.
Harry’s US-based life contrasts courtroom return, underscoring enduring press grievances.
Precedents like Mirror award substantial sums for proven intrusions. Outcomes could influence pending claims.
Court drew media crowds, with 3,012 BBC live viewers mid-proceedings.
Sherborne’s all-day opening set evidentiary tone, promising document reviews and investigator testimonies.
ANL anticipates rebuttals via internal records and witness accounts.
Trial continues Tuesday, with Harry testimony slated weekly.
