Prince Harry’s Memoir Contradicts Witness Statement in High Court

Prince Harry has admitted that his memoir contradicted a claim he made in his witness statement at the High Court.

He also denied allegations that his solicitors had drafted evidence for him.

During questioning, the Duke of Sussex revealed that he couldn't remember whether he wanted to meet his mother's former butler, Paul Burrell, despite this opposition apparently causing a rift with his brother, Prince William.

The disagreement stemmed from a 2003 article in The People, which reported that the brothers had differing opinions on meeting Mr. Burrell, who had written a tell-all book about Princess Diana after her death.

According to the article, Prince Charles wanted to meet Mr. Burrell in order to prevent any future stories from being published.

However, the report claimed that Prince Harry had no intention of meeting him due to his perception of Mr. Burrell as two-faced.

This article was cited by Harry's lawyer, David Sherborne, as the cause of the deterioration in the relationship between the two brothers.

During cross-examination, Andrew Green, KC for MGM, questioned Prince Harry about the omission of his opposition to the meeting in his memoir.

The duke explained that the memoir was written when he was 38 years old, while the article in question pertained to a time when he was only 18.

Harry admitted that he couldn't remember whether he wanted to meet Mr. Burrell or not, stating, “I assume I would have wanted a meeting.

I'd love to give him a piece of my mind.”

In addition to this revelation, Prince Harry was challenged by Mr. Green regarding a section of his witness statement that was allegedly drafted by his solicitors.

The duke firmly stated that the entire witness statement was written by him during video calls with his legal team while he was in California.

He emphasized that the statement was his own and not influenced by his solicitors.

Another contentious moment in court occurred when Mr. Green questioned Prince Harry about his uncertainty regarding whose phone was hacked when he broke his thumb playing football at Eton, which was then reported in the press.

The royal was also questioned about an article from 2002 in The People, titled “Plot to Rob the DNA of Harry,” which raised questions about his parentage due to Princess Diana's affair with Major James Hewitt.

Prince Harry described these stories as hurtful, mean, and cruel, stating that he always questioned the motives behind them.

The duke's witness statement also mentioned the infamous incident in 2005 when he dressed as a Nazi for a fancy dress party.

Although he did not use the word “Nazi,” Prince Harry claimed that the Mirror, which had followed up on The Sun's story, must have used hacking to obtain information.

The Mirror reported that Prince Harry's girlfriend at the time, Chelsea Davy, was furious and had confronted him over allegations of flirting with another woman at the party.

The duke questioned how the journalists at the defendant's publication could have known about this private conversation.

Throughout his testimony, Prince Harry expressed his frustration with the media's constant speculation and attempts to cast doubt on his family background.

He emphasized the harmful impact these stories had on him and his relationship with the royal family.

The duke's memoir and witness statement provide a glimpse into his experiences and shed light on the challenges he has faced in the public eye.