Prince Harry is back at London's High Court this week in what allies describe as his last big showdown with the British tabloid press—and some observers think its conclusion could clear the way for a thaw with King Charles III. Harry is one of several high-profile figures suing Associated Newspapers Limited, publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday, over alleged "grave breaches of privacy" between 1993 and 2011, per NBC News. The claimants—including Elton John, Jude Law, and Elizabeth Hurley—say ANL used private investigators to unlawfully obtain medical and financial records, and hacked or tapped phones. ANL has rejected the accusations as "preposterous and without foundation" and says the lawsuit insults its journalists' integrity.
The case marks a new front in Britain's long-running tabloid scandals. Mirror Group Newspapers and News Group Newspapers, publisher of The Sun, have already paid out large sums to celebrities, politicians, and others over phone hacking in the 2000s; Harry has won damages from both. Associated, however, has not previously faced hacking claims. Media lawyer Mark Stephens says that if the allegations are proven, they could "reshape the story of modern British journalism," testing whether one of the country's most powerful publishers has "been operating in the shadows or is genuinely clean." He doubts a last-minute settlement is likely.
The New York Times has a primer on the trial, expected to last two months. Inside the royal family, the more immediate question is what happens after the legal war ends. Commentators say Harry's public battles with the press have been a major factor in the collapse of his relationship with Charles. Harry has also clashed with the British government over the removal of his publicly funded police protection, saying it is not safe to bring his family to the UK and that his father would not speak to him "because of this security stuff." While Harry has voiced a desire for reconciliation, royal watchers say Charles and Prince William are likely to want assurances that Harry will halt his cycle of interviews, books, and documentaries that air internal disputes and put added scrutiny on the monarchy.
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