Another phone-hacking controversy, which will go to trial later this year, centers on Prince Harry.
The Duke of Sussex’s action against Mirror Group Newspapers will be heard in a High Court trial with the estate of the late singer George Michael, retired footballer Ian Wright, and actor Ricky Tomlinson. Former Girls Aloud member Cheryl will also be there.
Four or five ‘representative’ applicants were picked as ‘test cases’ during a hearing in London today.
Judge Timothy Fancourt ruled today that his case, which claims illegal information gathering on behalf of MGN journalists between 1996 and 2010, should be one of them.
He stressed it was an ‘obvious selection’ because his claim covers an large period of time and 24 private investigators.
The court heard that Harry claims that some 148 articles published in the 14 years included information that was allegedly obtained through unlawful means.
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David Sherborne, a lawyer representing him, said he would be ‘the only witness’ relied upon in his case.
This raises the prospect of Harry travelling to the UK and entering the witness box to give evidence.
Expecting to last for six to seven weeks, the trial is scheduled to begin on May 9, coinciding with celebrations for King Charles’ Coronation.
Other claimants selected for trial are ex Coronation Street actress Nikki Sanderson, comedian Paul Whitehouse’s ex-wife Fiona Wightman and actor Michael Turner.
MGN is contesting their claims, arguing that some have been brought too late.
The publisher of titles including The Mirror, The Sunday Mirror and The Sunday People, MGN has previously settled a number of claims against it in relation to unlawful information gathering, as has News Group Newspapers (NGN) – the publisher of the now-defunct News Of The World and The Sun – in a separate ongoing legal action.
Harry’s case against MGN, launched in 2019, is one of several he is currently bringing against British newspapers.