"Media's Invasion of Privacy Made My Wife Miserable"... Prince Harry Emotional in Court

Prince Harry, Second Son of King Charles III, Testifies in Court
Files Privacy Lawsuit Against Tabloids Including the Daily Mail
"My Life Has Been Commercialized by the Media Since My Teens"

Prince Harry, the second son of King Charles III of the United Kingdom, spoke about the pain his family endured during a privacy infringement lawsuit filed against British tabloids such as the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday. On January 21 (local time), Yonhap News, citing BBC and other sources, reported that "Prince Harry attended the lawsuit at the High Court in London, along with singer Elton John, actress Elizabeth Hurley, and others, against Associated Newspapers (ANL), the publisher of the Daily Mail."

Prince Harry, the second son of King Charles III of the United Kingdom, expressed the pain his family endured in a privacy infringement lawsuit filed against British tabloids such as the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday. Photo by AP Yonhap News

Taking the witness stand that day, Prince Harry said, "It is disgusting to have to sit here and relive all of this, while they argue that I have no right to privacy," adding, "They have made my wife's life utterly miserable." It was reported that Prince Harry appeared visibly emotional.

He stated, "I never thought my life would be opened up and commercialized by these people," emphasizing that his life is not a matter of public interest. He explained, "Since my teenage years, the media have commercialized my life by digging into every aspect of my private life, eavesdropping on my phone calls, and tracking my flights to find out where I was going." In contrast, ANL argued, "The information we collected was obtained legally from social sources such as Prince Harry's acquaintances."

Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle. Photo by AP Yonhap News

Prince Harry is married to American actress Meghan Markle, and they have two children. After experiencing conflicts with other members of the royal family, the couple stepped back from royal duties in 2020 and relocated to the United States.

Previously, Prince Harry had claimed that media intrusion into his privacy was responsible for events such as the death of his mother, Princess Diana, and his own family's move to the United States. In particular, he has repeatedly filed lawsuits for damages, asserting that tabloids published articles infringing on his privacy using illegally obtained information, such as phone hacking and documents acquired through deception. He also testified in court in 2023 in a lawsuit against News Group Newspapers (now News UK), which owns other tabloids such as The Sun, ultimately reaching a substantial settlement and receiving an apology.

When asked why he did not protest immediately after reports about his private life, he responded, "Because of the institution I was part of." In a previous written statement, Prince Harry had also said, "The royal family's policy was never to protest or explain anything."

Prince Harry emphasized, "While there is clearly a personal element to this lawsuit, which is motivated by truth, justice, and accountability, it is not just about me," adding, "There is a social dimension involving thousands of people whose lives are violated because of greed."