Prince Harry phone hacking – live: Piers Morgan denies wrongdoing as judge rules Duke was Mirror victim

Duke of Sussex found to be victim of phone hacking by Mirror publisher and awarded £140,000 in damages

Former Mirror editor Piers Morgan responds to Prince Harry victory in privacy case

Piers Morgan has denied any wrongdoing as a High Court judge has ruled Prince Harry was the victim of phone hacking by the Mirror publisher.

Mr Justice Fancourt ruled on Friday that Mr Morgan knew about and was involved in phone hacking when he was editor of the Daily Mirror as the Duke of Sussex won damages of £140,600 against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN).

But Mr Morgan insisted in a statement on Friday afternoon that he never hacked a phone and never told anyone to do so, before launching scathing attacks on Prince Harry, royal author Omid Scobie and former Labour spin doctor Alastair Campbell.

He told reporters outside his home in west London that the “real mission” of Harry and his wife Megan Markle is not to reform the media but “to destroy the British monarchy”.

It comes after the duke accused the Mirror publisher of “vendetta journalism” in a searing attack following the ruling.

Harry’s lawyer David Sherborne said that editors such as Mr Morgan “clearly knew” about the hacking, after the judge accepted evidence that the TalkTV host had been aware of voicemail interception.

Key Points

• Piers Morgan breaks silence on Prince Harry hacking win against Mirror publisher
• Prince Harry wins £140,000 in damages against Mirror Group Newspapers
• Judge accepts Omid Scobie’s evidence that Piers Morgan knew about phone hacking
• 'Extensive’ hacking at MGN titles, including during Leveson Inquiry
• 15 of 33 articles were product of unlawful information gathering

[15 December 2023 10:31 · Andy Gregory]

Judge arrives in court

Mr Justice Fancourt has arrived and taken his seat in the court. Proceedings are about to begin.

[15 December 2023 10:24 · Andy Gregory]

The 33 articles at centre of Duke of Sussex’s High Court hacking claim

A host of articles about the Duke of Sussex’s life are at the centre of his legal battle with the publisher of the Mirror.

Harry alleges 147 stories from 1996 to 2010, published by Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) titles, used information obtained through unlawful means, such as phone hacking.

The articles cover the duke’s relationship with his family and ex-girlfriend Chelsy Davy, a few injuries and illnesses, his military service and allegations of drug use.

Some 33 articles, dated between 1996 and 2009, were selected for examination during the trial of Harry’s contested claim against MGN.

You can read the details here:

[15 December 2023 10:21 · Holly Evans, at the Royal Courts of Justice]

Prince Harry’s lawyer takes his place in court – but no sign of the duke

Since opening its doors at 10am, Court 30 of the Rolls Building has gradually filled with members of the press and legal teams for the prince, the other three claimants and MGN's team.

While camera crews and photographers have lined the street outside, there has been no word to indicate Harry will attend to hear Mr Justice Fancourt's judgement at 10.30am.

His lawyer David Sherborne, a leading barrister who has represented countless celebrities, has recently arrived to take his place, while Andrew Green KC for the Mirror publisher is yet to take his place.

[15 December 2023 09:51 · Holly Evans]

Drug-taking and alcohol features in Mirror articles

One front page story that was examined in court claimed that some of the duke’s friends had taken “hard drugs” in front of him, including ecstasy, cocaine and GHB, while also reporting that the Prince of Wales – now the King – was “terrified”.

Harry said in his evidence “it is not clear to me where the defendant’s journalists could have possibly obtained these quotes from.” Another example was a story containing allegations that he had smoked cannabis, with the headline “Harry took drugs” and “Cool it Harry”.

While others were more harmless, such as an article detailing his visit to a gastropub in Chelsea, London, for his 16th birthday, the duke said he did not know how anyone could have known about these plans. MGN said that an agency had been tipped off that the duke was in the restaurant and that Mirror journalists spoke to the owner, chef Ed Baines, without any unlawful activity.

[15 December 2023 09:33 · Holly Evans]

Harry says media intrusion impacted relationship with ex-girlfriend Chelsy Davy

Prince Harry told the court a sustained breach of his privacy had undermined his relationships, such as with ex-girlfriend Chelsy Davy, and he had faced “intrusion and hate”.

He also told the court how alleged intrusion caused “mistrust” between himself and his brother, and that “the ups and downs and ins and outs” of his relationship” were all revealed and picked apart by the three Mirror Group titles”, arguing that it was “clearly driven by unlawful activity”.

“For my whole life, the press has misled me and covered up the wrongdoing,” he said.

[15 December 2023 09:05 · Andy Gregory]

King Charles visits Royal Courts of Justice on eve of son’s trial verdict

While there is no word on whether Prince Harry will appear in court for today’s verdict, which appears unlikely, his father King Charles was at the Royal Courts of Justice only yesterday:

[15 December 2023 08:59 · Andy Gregory]

Has Prince Harry been to the High Court before?

Yes. In March, Harry made a surprise appearance at the Royal Courts of Justice in London amid a preliminary hearing in a similar case he is bringing against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL), publisher of the Daily Mail.

The Duke of Sussex is also suing News Group Newspapers (NGN), publisher of The Sun, over alleged unlawful information-gathering, and is bringing a legal challenge against the Home Office in relation to his security arrangements in the UK.

You can read more about the latter case, following a three-day court battle las week, here:

[15 December 2023 08:23 · Andy Gregory]

Prince Harry should receive £320,000 compensation, lawyers argue

At the trial in June, Prince Harry’s lawyers told the court that he should be awarded up to £320,000 in compensation from Mirror Group Newspapers if Mr Justice Fancourt rules in his favour.

In a court document, the Duke of Sussex’s legal team set out its suggestions for the amount of money Harry could receive if his case is successful in relation to all 33 stories selected for examination during the trial.

The duke may also be awarded more if the judge concludes Harry is also entitled to “aggravated damages”, for additional distress or injury to feelings arising from the nature of the alleged wrongdoing.

[15 December 2023 08:08 · Andy Gregory]

What is the legal action against Mirror Group Newspapers?

Prince Harry and other high-profile individuals are suing the publisher of the Daily Mirror, the Sunday Mirror and Sunday People.

They are seeking compensation over allegations MGN was involved in the unlawful gathering of their personal information for stories.

Claims brought by four individuals, including the duke, were heard in a civil trial as “representative” cases of the types of allegations facing the publisher, findings over which could affect the outcome of other claims.

[15 December 2023 06:45 · Jane Dalton]

Phone-hacking claim ‘entirely speculative’, High Court told

The Duke of Sussex’s allegation that his mobile phone was systematically hacked over a number of years was “entirely speculative”, lawyers for a tabloid newspaper publisher told the High Court in June: