The legal proceedings involving Prince Harry and Rupert Murdoch’s Sun tabloid commenced Tuesday with delays. These were caused by adjournments sought by the prince’s lawyers, resulting in a slow start to the trial. The court’s presiding judge, Timothy Fancourt, expressed dissatisfaction with the interruptions but granted them.
Prince Harry’s lawsuit against News Group Newspapers (NGN), which owns The Sun and the now-defunct News of the World, concerns allegations of illegal information gathering. The prince contends that these methods were employed for stories dating back to 1996. According to Harry, he only became aware of these practices in 2006.
The trial will focus on 30 articles published by NGN outlets, which Prince Harry claims were sourced through unlawful means under British law. Former British politician Tom Watson is also involved as a claimant and was present in court on Tuesday.
In a related case in 2023, Prince Harry and other litigants secured more than $170,000 in damages from Mirror Group Newspapers over similar accusations. During that trial, Prince Harry became the first senior British royal in over a century to provide testimony in court.