Prince Harry turns full bench into empty seats by skipping afternoon court session

Prince Harry departed the Royal Courts of Justice on Tuesday, opting not to return for the afternoon session of his ongoing legal battle against Associated Newspapers Limited.

The Duke of Sussex and Liz Hurley were absent after the midday break, leaving the High Court to continue hearing submissions without them.

Earlier, ANL’s barrister, Antony White KC, delivered a surprisingly brisk opening statement. 

Originally scheduled for a day and a half, White condensed his presentation into under two hours, aiming to give the court a detailed summary without rehashing everything. 

Mr Justice Nicklin explained that the shortened timetable was intended to streamline proceedings, noting that the court and relevant parties already had extensive documentation from White.

Not everyone was pleased. David Sherborne, representing Prince Harry, suggested that a heads-up about the accelerated schedule would have been useful, particularly given the psychological strain of the trial on his client.

Of the seven high-profile claimants involved in the case, only Harry and Hurley had attended Monday’s opening and Tuesday morning sessions in person. 

The next stage of the trial is expected to see the Duke himself giving evidence, moving the case beyond the opening statements.