Wait, what?! Prince Harry has returned home!
The Duke of Sussex made a surprise appearance in London’s High Court on Monday morning to attend the first day of a legal case he and several notable figures are wrapped up in against Associated Newspapers Ltd, publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday.
Alongside Harry, Elton John and his husband David Furnish, Elizabeth Hurley, Jude Law‘s ex-wife Sadie Frost, Baroness Doreen Lawrence (mother of Stephen Lawrence, a teenager who was murdered in a racially motivated attack while waiting for a bus in 1993), and the former UK government minister Sir Simon Hughes are all suing the newspaper for illegal information gathering.
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Cameras caught the embattled royal as he arrived at the courtroom. Dressed in a dark suit, white shirt, and tie, he exited a taxi with several people — excluding his wife Meghan Markle — and dodged paparazzi as he rushed into the building. While he was serious, he did seem to be in good spirits, all things considered. Take a look:
The Duke of Sussex arrived at the High Court in London on Monday for a hearing in his claim against Daily Mail publisher Associated Newspapers pic.twitter.com/8Y2OjZLyZR
— PA Entertainment (@PAshowbiz) March 27, 2023
According to People, once inside, the 38-year-old watched the proceedings intently, even taking notices on occasion. He was seated two rows behind the leading lawyers in the case. Nearby, Frost also watched and Elton arrived later in the day.
The case is expected to last four days. By the end, the judge will decide whether or not the case should go to trial. When the lawsuit was first announced in October 2022, Harry’s lawyers argued he and seven others had “become aware of compelling and highly distressing evidence that they have been the victims of abhorrent criminal activity and gross breaches of privacy by Associated Newspaper,” per People. They alleged listening devices had been placed in their cars and homes by private investigators, private phone calls had been recorded, and the police “with corrupt links to private investigators” had been paid for sensitive information. Furthermore, they alleged the outlet impersonated them to obtain medical info and used illicit manipulation to access bank accounts, credit histories, and financial transactions.
As to be expected, Associated Newspapers is hoping to get the case thrown out. Per BBC, the company has denied the allegations, calling them “preposterous smears.” This is also just one of the suits Harry currently has against Associated Newspapers. He has also called out Mail on Sunday for an article about his family’s battle with the British government over police protection in the country. Speaking of family…
It’s a pretty big deal to have Harry back in the UK. This is his first time since attending Queen Elizabeth II‘s funeral in September — and it also comes amid chatter that King Charles III and Prince William are trying to sort out a way to put their issues aside so they can all be present for the coronation in May. One of the biggest factors supposedly stopping Harry from agreeing to attend is his desire to receive an apology or have a real conversation about how to move forward amid their family’s rifts. Now would be the perfect time to finally have that heart-to-heart, wouldn’t it?!
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Well. Apparently not!
Per People‘s insiders, Harry reportedly reached out to his father and brother to inform them he’d be in the city for the hearings. Unfortunately, they didn’t care much about his travel plans! He is unlikely to be meeting up with either of his estranged relatives during this trip. William is currently taking a break from work to spend time with his wife Princess Catherine and kids Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis during their school break. (It’s unclear if he’s still in the area or not, but it sure sounds like he doesn’t want to reunite either way!)
Meanwhile, His Majesty was supposed to be in France right now, but he had to postpone his trip due to riots across the country. He and Queen Camilla are planning to leave for Germany on Wednesday instead. Perhaps this leaves him with a little bit of wiggle room to arrange a meeting with his youngest??
Maybe, but with the way things are going, we’re not crossing our fingers. From the drama of Spare to the eviction notice, things are as bad as they’ve ever been between this family. Is a contentious meet-up really what Harry is going to prioritize amid a legal battle? It’s hard to know. Would U like to see the father and son get together? Let us know (below)!
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