Prince Harry Testifies the British Media Has “Blood on Their Hands” in a Historic Court Appearance
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Prince Harry made history when he took the stand on Tuesday in a case against the publishers of a British tabloid newspaper, becoming the first senior member of the British Royal Family to testify in court in more than 130 years.
The Duke of Sussex and several others have accused the British tabloid newspaper Daily Mirror and its parent company, Mirror Group Newspapers, of obtaining information about the royal family through phone hacking and other illegal means.
Harry claims the newspaper editors have “blood on their hands” and that newspaper articles have had a detrimental effect on him and other members of his family, including that of his mother Princess Diana, for whose death he holds paparazzi partially responsible.
“How much more blood will stain their typing fingers before someone can put a stop to this madness?” Harry said in court, adding that “some of the editors and journalists... are responsible for causing a lot of pain, upset, and in some cases, speaking personally, death.”
Mirror Group Newspapers has denied Harry’s allegations, claiming it used documents, public statements, and reliable sources to legally report on the prince and his family, with the exception of one specific instance of unlawful information gathering.
Harry’s testimony continues the prince’s long-standing feud with the media and paparazzi, who he claims have used intrusive tactics that have distressed his family and destroyed some of his closest relationships.
“At the moment, our country is judged globally by the state of our press and our government—both of which I believe are at rock bottom,” Harry said during his testimony, while also describing the media’s behavior as “utterly vile.”
In addition to the media’s role in Princess Diana’s death, Harry has long accused the British media of harassment and racism in its coverage of his wife, Meghan Markle, which contributed to the couple stepping down as working royals and moving to the United States.
The last time a senior member of the royal family testified in court was in 1891, when future King Edward VII—Harry’s great-great-great grandfather—took to the state in a case against a man he accused of cheating in a game of baccarat. The testimony caused “substantial damage to the future king’s reputation,” according to The Guardian.
Harry’s decision to testify is another example of his tendency to break with his family and royal traditions. His late grandmother Queen Elizabeth II and the rest of the family have long maintained a practice of saying as little about public controversies as possible. Harry himself has described the family motto as “never complain, never explain.”
During his court appearance, Harry alleged that more than 140 articles published in Mirror Group Newspapers publications were gathered through illegal methods, with 33 of them being considered as evidence in the trial. Some of these articles included information that Harry claims could only have been obtained through illegal means. “All of these articles played an important role—a destructive role—in my growing up,” he said in court, describing the media coverage “incredibly invasive.”
Andrew Green, the attorney for Mirror Group Newspapers, pushed back against Harry’s claims during cross-examination, questioning how well Harry remembered some of the articles in question. When Harry admitted he couldn’t always recall articles from his childhood, Green questioned how he could claim they had a detrimental effect on him.
Although it denies most of Harry’s allegations, Reach, which owns Mirror Group Newspapers, has apologized for at least one instance in which the newspaper The Sunday People unlawfully sought information. During the trial, Green said of this instance: “It should never have happened, and it will not happen again.” Additional details about this instance haven’t been publicly disclosed.
Several celebrities have taken British tabloids to court in the past, including singer Elton John and actors Hugh Grant, Elizabeth Hurley, and Sadie Frost. In 2011, the Rupert Murdoch-owned British newspaper News of the World was shut down over allegations of phone hacking, police bribery, and other illegal reporting techniques.
Prince William, Harry’s brother and the heir to the British throne, settled out of court for a large amount of money in a 2020 settlement with Murdoch’s media empire for similar phone hacking methods. Unlike his brother, however, William never testified in court.
The British media trial is not the only current court case involving Harry. A separate case in the United States involves questions over whether the U.S. government should be required to release Harry’s U.S. visa application form, amid scrutiny over how the prince answered questions regarding his use of drugs.
The case stems from Harry’s admission of drug usage in his 2023 memoir Spare. That visa allowed Harry to move to the United States in March 2020. If it’s determined the correct rules weren’t followed in granting the visa, it could be revoked, which might force Harry to leave the country.
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