Prince Harry has been accused of “wasting time” by not appearing at the High Court in London for his trial against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) today. Andrew Green, representing MGN, expressed his astonishment that Harry was not available for the first day of his own trial. The prince is now expected to give his evidence on Tuesday. Alongside other celebrities, Harry accuses MGN of using illegal methods, including phone hacking, to obtain stories. While MGN denies phone hacking in this specific case, it has previously admitted to such practices.
The judge had directed that Prince Harry be present this afternoon to begin giving evidence, anticipating that the opening statements would be completed with ample court time remaining. David Sherborne, representing the claimants, explained that Prince Harry had flown in from Los Angeles after his daughter’s birthday but noted that his travel and security arrangements placed him in a different category from the other claimants. Sherborne stated, “It was never anticipated that the openings would not take the whole day.”
In response, Mr. Justice Fancourt acknowledged that the anticipated time for the openings was accounted for, which is why he directed the first witness to be available. Andrew Green, on behalf of MGN, protested that he needed more than a day to cross-examine Prince Harry on 33 articles. The judge assured Green that he would not restrict him to a single day, indicating his willingness to extend court hours on Tuesday and Wednesday if necessary.
