Sourcing, suspicion and speculation -- terminology that was frequently explored over two days this week as Prince Harry testified against a major British newspaper publisher, in his latest attempt to transform the ethics of the insatiable UK tabloid press.
The Duke of Sussex returned to the UK to face a grueling cross-examination by the legal team from the Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN). He is suing the publisher alongside three other claimants representing dozens of celebrities.
Harry alleges that MGN used unlawful methods to obtain information and produce stories about him and others in his vicinity. The duke's court appearance focused on 33 articles -- covering various events over a roughly 15-year period of his life -- published in MGN titles the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror and The People.
The publisher has denied any illicit acts, with its lawyers arguing that the stories selected to be discussed at trial (out of around 140 articles) could have been sourced through legitimate information gathering means or were already in the public domain. However, MGN has previously admitted and apologized for one instance of unlawful information gathering nearly two decades ago.
The civil case provided the rare sight of a senior royal sitting in a courtroom's witness box. The last instance occurred more than a century ago. Day one saw a softly spoken Harry seated in the simple courtroom, answering questions with brief, clipped responses. As he gave evidence on his second day, he appeared much more at ease and assertive, even sparring with MGN barrister Andrew Green at times.
Harry's job in court was to present specific examples of compelling proof to back up his claims that he was a victim of phone hacking. And while the duke often recalled feeling deeply affected by the numerous articles when they were first published, he was frequently unsure of the timeline when pressed by his questioner.
Instead, he spoke of what would make him suspicious in the tabloid coverage, such as the attribution of quotes to unnamed sources, which led Harry to believe the information had been obtained through the hacking of his cell phone or those of people close to him.
While he remained calm and composed throughout, towards the end of proceedings, Prince Harry appeared to get choked up when asked by his lawyer how the cross-examination had been. Harry finally admitted after a lengthy pause that "it is a lot."
It was the latest push from the 38-year-old royal in his mission to reform Britain's tabloid media, which he has long insisted subjected him to devastating intrusion and ruined several personal relationships over the years. The trial started in mid-May and is expected to last through the end of the month.
Read our full analysis here.
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📺 Watch: Prince Harry gave evidence in hacking case. This is what he said. |
CNN's Nada Bashir joined Max in the studio on Thursday to break down the UK court case in which Prince Harry accuses a British newspaper publisher of historical phone hacking. |
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A federal judge has given the United States Department of Homeland Security until next Tuesday to decide how it will handle a conservative think tank's request for Prince Harry's US immigration records.
The Heritage Foundation has asked the US government via the Freedom of Information Act to let it see Harry's visa application, citing his admission of past recreational drug use in his memoir. The group is questioning whether immigration officials properly granted the application, since admission of past drug use can be grounds for rejection.
At a hearing Tuesday in Washington, DC, federal judge Carl Nichols gave DHS until June 13 to determine whether or not it will expedite or respond to a request for the records. Find out more on this here. |
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King Charles' surprise trip away. |
The newly crowned King seemed to be in fine spirits when he popped up in the village of Viscri, Romania on Tuesday, his first trip abroad since the coronation last month. Charles appeared to be making a private visit to the eastern European country, which he has routinely visited for decades and where he owns several properties. While in Viscri, the King made sure to celebrate the work of his organization, The Prince's Foundation, which helps keep traditional Romanian craft skills in practice. The charity puts on summer schools where mentors pass on training to younger crafts people, "to ensure the sustainable maintenance and longevity of historic buildings." Eugen Vaida, who coordinates the foundation's activity in Romania, said: "It was a pleasure for us to welcome back His Majesty to Romania and to hear him talk about his love for the country and all we are doing to preserve our historic crafts and buildings."
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Prince William opens new cancer center. |
The Prince of Wales on Thursday opened a new cancer treatment and research facility in south London. It will have been a proud moment for William, who helped launch an appeal for The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust's Oak Cancer Centre eight years ago and then returned in 2020 to lay the foundation stone. The prince said he was "delighted" to be present to declare the center "officially open" and met patients and some of the medical professionals who work there as part of the visit.
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🍼 It's another baby boy for Princess Eugenie. |
The royal took to Instagram to share news of the birth of her second son, Ernest George Ronnie Brooksbank, on May 30. The princess, who is 11th in line to the British throne and King Charles III's niece, also shared that inspiration for the name came from their family lineage. "He is named after his great great great Grandfather George, his Grandpa George and my Grandpa Ronald," she said in a post. Read the full story here.
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Queen Camilla visits London's Garden Museum to open the annual British Flowers Week on Thursday morning. That afternoon, she hosted a reception at Clarence House to mark her appointment as Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Lancers. Camilla has had an informal relationship with the regiment for many years, as her late father, Maj. Bruce Shand, served with the 12th Lancers during World War II. |
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"I would like to express our deepest possible condolences to the families of all those who have so tragically lost their lives."
– King Charles III
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The British monarch has written of his profound shock and sadness after two trains collided in India's eastern Odisha state. The Coromandel Express slammed into a parked freight train that was then struck by a Howrah Express train, killing at least 275 people and injuring more than 1,000 others.
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