Prince Harry's legal team alleges journalists bought secrets from private eyes

Despite all the smiles, Prince Harry has told the High Court that he feels like he’s been under relentless media fire since taking on Associated Newspapers Ltd, describing his state as one of “distress” and “paranoia.”

His barrister, David Sherborne, says the Duke’s witness statement lays bare the emotional toll, showing that the ongoing intrusion into his private life has generated anxiety and a host of unsettling feelings.”

“Given what we’ve seen, is it any wonder he feels this way?” Sherborne remarked.

The court also learned that Prince Harry is set to give evidence on Thursday. 

Meanwhile, the lawyer highlighted a Daily Mail article by current royal editor Rebecca English who was royal correspondent when the stories ran accusing her of obtaining precise flight details, seat numbers, and travel plans for Harry’s ex Chelsy Davy back in December 2007. 

The Duke’s witness statement describes the intrusion as not only invasive but also a serious security risk. David says English paid £200 to private investigator Mike Behr for the information.

“English claims she doesn’t recall the email,” he added. 

“For Prince Harry, it was deeply frustrating, he was trying to keep a private relationship private.” 

The Duke described seeing those details published as “deeply disturbing,” emphasising that neither he nor Davy shared any of the information themselves. 

A 2010 article by Katie Nicholl revealed intimate details of Harry’s relationship with Davy, including where he liked to stay, their couple plans, and how often he visited her home.

The Duke calls this information “highly sensitive” and maintains that it could only have come from him or Davy. 

Sherborne added that Nicholl’s notes suggest she got the information from Garth Gibbs, who was living in semi-retirement on the Isle of Wight at the time. 

The court also revisited a 2002 article covering the challenges faced by Hurley as a single mother starting a new relationship. 

Journalist, Nicole Lampert, was vague about the source of the information, while records allegedly show payments to the private investigating firm ELI, including two £170 sums on 1 and 2 October 2002, labelled “Nicole Lampert inquiries.”