‘Emotional’ Prince Harry says wife Meghan Markle’s life was made ‘an absolute misery’ in court appearance

Prince Harry has been battling it out in court

Prince Harry has given a stark and emotional insight into what Meghan Markle is said to have endured as a result of alleged unlawful invasions of privacy.

The Duke of Sussex shared deeply personal details about his life as a working royal while giving evidence at the High Court today.

Harry appeared visibly emotional as he concluded his testimony in his case against the publisher of the Daily Mail this afternoon.

Prince Harry shared his experience in court today (Credit: Thomas Krych/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock)

Prince Harry speaks out about the impact privacy invasion has had on Meghan Markle

During his evidence, Harry spoke candidly about the “paranoia” he says he developed as a result of what he alleges were repeated intrusions into his private life by publishers. He also described the profound toll this had taken on Meghan Markle.

Prince Harry is one of several high-profile figures bringing claims against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL). Others involved include Sir Elton John and his husband David Furnish.

Campaigner Baroness Doreen Lawrence, politician Sir Simon Hughes, and actors Sadie Frost and Elizabeth Hurley are also amongst the group.

The group allege unlawful information gathering by ANL. This includes claims that journalists obtained material through illegal means, such as phone tapping and blagging private records.

ANL has denied all wrongdoing.

Antony White KC, representing Associated Newspapers, told the High Court that journalists could demonstrate they relied on legitimate sources. He also suggested that some of the claimants had friends who leaked information to the press.
Prince Harry testified against ANL (Credit: James Veysey/Shutterstock)

Prince Harry testifies

Responding to the suggestion of leaks from his inner circle, Harry was clear in his denial.

“My social circles were not leaky, I want to make that absolutely clear,” he reportedly told the court, as reported by the BBC.

During his two-and-a-half-hour appearance on the witness stand, Harry said it was “disgusting” to hear the Daily Mail publisher claim “in their defence that I don’t have any right to privacy”.

He also reflected on his relationship with the press following the death of his mother, Princess Diana, in 1997, describing it as “uneasy”.

Harry’s ‘dig’ at royal family

The duke appeared to take aim at the royal family’s long-held approach to media scrutiny, referencing the principle of staying silent.

According to the BBC, Harry said he “was not allowed to complain” because he was a member of the “institution”, meaning the royal family.

Harry’s legal team has claimed that 14 articles published by ANL between 2001 and 2013 were based on unlawfully obtained information. They argue that the stories were written in a “highly intrusive and damaging way”.

Prince Harry slams ‘beyond cruel’ privacy invasions

One article reportedly included details of “confidential discussions” he had following the publication of a photograph of Princess Diana dying in the Italian press. Harry described that coverage as “beyond cruel”.

He also highlighted a Daily Mail article from July 2006, which he called “disgusting”. The story was reportedly about private conversations between himself and Prince William about the publication of the pictures of his mother.

Harry also told the court that such coverage placed enormous strain on his relationship with former girlfriend Chelsy Davy. He said he was “really worried something bad was going to happen” as a result of the intense intrusion.

As he spoke, Harry reportedly became increasingly emotional, admitting that the alleged behaviour of ANL journalists had left him deeply paranoid.

The Duke of Sussex describes his ‘paranoia’

“I was never suspicious of Chelsy in relation to stories like this, but I was of her friends. If I saw this story at the time, I would have been very frustrated and angry,” he said in written evidence.

“This sort of intrusion was terrifying for Chelsy. It made her feel like she was being hunted and the press had caught her and it was terrifying for me too because there was nothing I could do to stop it and now she was in my world.

“She was ‘shaken’ and I was really paranoid about trying to protect our privacy, as the article says.”

Harry went on to describe similar issues during his relationship with Cressida Bonas. He referred to a Daily Mail article from 2013 as “creepy”, saying it detailed Cressida’s private travel plans while portraying him as spending a “lonely” New Year’s Eve.

Prince Harry on the impact on Meghan Markle

Harry then became visibly distressed as he described how the alleged invasions had affected Meghan Markle.

As reported by PEOPLE from the courtroom, Harry fought back tears as he said: “By standing up here and taking a stand against them, this has continued to come after me.

“And they have made my wife’s life an absolute misery, my Lord.”

He said the case against ANL felt like a “recurring traumatic experience” and described it as a “repeat of the past”.

“I have never believed that my life is open season to be commercialised by these people,” he added.

Prince Harry was reportedly still emotional as he left the courtroom.