Duke of Sussex to Give Evidence in Historic Phone Hacking Case Against Mirror Group Newspapers

The Duke of Sussex is set to make history as he gives evidence at the High Court in London on Tuesday.

This joint case, brought by Prince Harry and several other alleged victims of historic phone hacking, is against Mirror Group newspapers.

It is believed to be the first time a senior royal has appeared in the witness box since the 19th century.

One of the challenges in this case is the potential awkwardness of the British legal system being run in the name of the Crown.

The trial is taking place in the King's Bench division of the High Court, which Prince Harry finds amusingly ironic.

Both sides of the dispute are represented by King's Councils, adding to the significance of Harry's appearance.

While there is much speculation about the content of his testimony, it is safe to assume that Prince Harry, who has previously criticized the British tabloid press as the “mothership of online trolling,” will not be praising the journalistic standards of red-top editors and reporters.

Piers Morgan, former editor of the Daily Mirror, is one media personality expected to receive an unflattering mention.

Harry's lawyers have already named him as one of the senior executives who authorized the unlawful acquisition of private information.

The trial began with Mirror Group apologizing to the Duke for one instance of unlawful information gathering.

However, Harry seeks justice for numerous other alleged incidents.

His legal team has presented 148 articles as evidence, although only 33 are included in the trial.

The Mirror Group denies 28 of them and has not admitted to the other five.

While these distinctions may seem obscure to the layperson, they hold great importance in legal proceedings.

MGM's legal team argues that there is no evidence or sufficient evidence of voicemail interception in any of the cases involved in the trial.

Prince Harry is one of four representative claimants selected from a larger group of mostly celebrities with claims against MGM.

The other three claimants are Coronation Street actors Nikki Sanderson and Michael Turner, known professionally as Michael Lavelle, and comedian Paul Whitehouse's ex-wife, Fiona Whiteman.

Unlike Prince Harry, they have not been the subject of an Oprah television special.

MGM had expressed a preference for Ricky Tomlinson to represent the wider group of claimants at the trial.

However, the judge ruled in favor of Prince Harry, much to the media's relief, excluding MGM.

The Duke is not only taking on Mirror Group newspapers but also has lawsuits against Associated Newspapers, publishers of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday, and News Group Newspapers, publishers of The Sun and The News of the World.

Trials are typically avoided by royals, celebrities, and other claimants who are offered settlements.

Court proceedings are expensive and unpredictable.

MGM's phone hacking costs, which have exceeded £1 million, have primarily gone towards settling claims and keeping individuals out of the witness box.

Prince Harry's appearance in court promises to be a gripping scene that could potentially feature in a future film about this shadowy and sordid story.

It's worth noting that any such film should ideally be produced by News Group Newspapers for acronymic consistency.

The question remains: how will Prince Harry fare under forensic cross-examination?

Andrew Green KC, representing MGM, is expected to present a more challenging line of questioning compared to Oprah Winfrey or Tom Bradby.

Nevertheless, this is the moment Prince Harry has been waiting for.

He views it as his duty to change the British media landscape and seeks retribution for the impact it had on his mother's life and the demonization of his wife.

While an excess of emotion may not work in his favor in the courtroom, Prince Harry possesses vital information.

Depending on his performance and testimony, he has the potential to inflict significant damage on the press, the Royal Family, or even himself.

The outcome remains uncertain.

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