Prince Harry sues Piers Morgan, tabloid owners over alleged phone hacking days after slamming media for criticizing Meghan Markle
Tired of the attacks launched against Meghan Markle by a section of the British media, Prince Harry is now suing the owners of London-headquartered tabloids The Sun and the Daily Mirror for alleged phone hacking.
The news of legal proceedings came days after Harry issued a statement on Wednesday, October 2, lashing out at the British tabloid media about its constant criticism of the Duchess of Sussex.
Buckingham Palace has confirmed that claims have been filed in court "regarding the illegal interception of voicemail messages." The claims were filed on behalf of Harry on September 27 by Clintons LLP, a law firm that has won massive payouts on behalf of its clients in multiple phone hacking claims in the past.
“I can confirm that claims have been filed on behalf of the Duke of Sussex at the High Court regarding the illegal interception of voicemail messages. Given the particulars of the claims are not yet public, I can offer no further comment at this time," The Daily Beast quoted a Buckingham Palace official as saying.
While the claims are made in direct retaliation to the attacks against Meghan, the alleged hacking itself could refer to historical cases dating as far back as the early 2000s, where Harry and his brother, Prince William, were at the center of a series of phone hacking allegations.
“In addition to Murdoch’s The Sun and defunct News of the World, the Duke is also suing the publishers of The Mirror titles over unlawful newsgathering activities that stretch back to the editorship of controversial former editor-turned-celebrity Piers Morgan.”
The television personality has been relentless in his attack against Meghan, even going as far as to call her “a self-obsessed professional actress who has landed the role of her life and is determined to milk it for all she’s worth.” He has now gone on to reprimand Harry for "playing the victim" when the couple brought on the negative press on themselves.
This case could be historical if Harry enters the witness box in the trial, as it would mark the first time a serving member of the Royal family was in the dock. As a legal source points out to Byline Investigates, “There are strong matters of principle at stake here for the prince. A lot of work has gone into preparing these cases to the point they can be formally filed. “His legal team plainly feels there are cases to be answered here.”
A few days after Harry's lawsuit, Meghan also announced her legal action against Associated Newspapers and the Mail for alleged breach of privacy and copyright infringement over the publication of private correspondence addressed to her father.