Prince Harry is expected to appear at the High Court in London next week to give evidence in his privacy case against the publisher of the Daily Mail.
The Duke of Sussex and six others, including Sir Elton John and Liz Hurley, allege Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) hired private detectives to commit a series of unlawful acts between 1993 and 2011.
Alleged activities included placing listening devices inside cars, using deception, or “blagging” private records, such as flight details and medical records and accessing private phone conversations.
Elizabeth Hurley
Sir Elton John. Pic: PA
Harry is expected to spend a full day on the stand next Thursday, a draft trial timetable suggests.
Sir Elton, Ms Hurley and Baroness Doreen Lawrence are also expected to give evidence at the nine-week trial, which is due to begin on Monday.
Elton John’s husband David Furnish, actress Sadie Frost and former Lib Dem MP Simon Hughes are the others involved in the case.
The group launched its lawsuit against Associated, the publisher of the Daily Mail, the Mail on Sunday and MailOnline, in October 2020.
Associated Newspapers denies all the allegations, calling them “preposterous smears”.
A number of outstanding issues were dealt with at the court on Thursday, including a challenge by the claimants’ lawyers against some of the wording in ANL’s proposed opening arguments relating to an alleged “scheme of camouflage”.
At the hearing, Mr Justice Nicklin heard that ANL lawyers have made “serious allegations” of dishonesty and fraud against some representatives in the claimants’ legal team.
In written submissions, David Sherborne, for the claimants, said: “The allegations made by the defendants are exceptionally serious, of fraud, dishonesty and professional misconduct.
“They cannot be introduced by assertion in opening written submissions and are not simply commentary on pleaded issues.”
David Furnish leaves the Royal Courts Of Justice in 2023. Pic: PA
Doreen Lawrence in 2023. Pic: PA
He added: “The allegations made by the defendants are not confined to the credibility of witnesses, as above, the defendant explicitly seeks findings, and also asserts as a fact that actions amount to a ‘calculated attempt to withhold the true position from the court’.”
Antony White KC, for ANL, told the court the submissions were simply an “attack” on the credibility of some of the witnesses.
Sadie Frost. Pic: PA
He said in court: “It is not necessary to plead a case if the other side’s witnesses are not telling the truth.”
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Mr Justice Nicklin ruled that ANL’s trial opening note should be amended, saying “the camouflage scheme that is relied upon by the defendants goes far further than an attack on credibility”.
He added: “It seems to be that the requirements of fairness mean that the defendant must seek to amend its defence.”
Mr White told the court he would condense the claims in his opening note.
The hearing is due to conclude on Thursday.
