Harry Faces the Third Legal Battle
Recently, Prince Harry has returned to court. Once again, his target is the tabloids that exploit his privacy for attention. This marks Harry’s third legal fight.
He previously won two cases. In 2023, he secured £140,000 from the Daily Mirror. In January 2025, he forced Rupert Murdoch’s The Sun to apologize and reportedly receive over £10 million in damages.
Now, Harry has set his sights on his final opponent: the Daily Mail. 
The Controversial Articles
The case involves more than 50 articles published between 1993 and 2011, with 14 specifically about Harry. Screenshots shared by Sky News show sensationalist headlines, such as:
- “How Harry Fell in Love”
- “Harry Falls for Chelsy, His First True Love”
- “I’m Crazy About Harry”
The problem isn’t the headlines but the way the information was obtained. Harry claims these stories weren’t sourced through interviews but through illicit methods: phone tapping, impersonation, and private detectives.
A Painful Memory
The most shocking article, according to Harry, was published in 2006. That year, Italian magazine Chi printed photos of Princess Diana in the aftermath of her fatal car crash. Emergency responders were seen providing oxygen.
Harry, then 21, and his brother Prince William, 23, issued a joint statement condemning the publication. The Daily Mail, however, published an article titled “Let Her Rest in Peace”. It appeared respectable but revealed details from Harry and William’s private phone calls.
At court on the 20th, Harry called it “disgusting.” He explained, “We were having a private conversation about our late mother’s photos. Reporters were clearly listening in.”
Chelsy Davy and Private Information
The other articles mostly concerned Harry’s relationship with Chelsy Davy, a South African socialite. Their relationship spanned 2004 to around 2011, though it was unstable after 2009. They reportedly remained friends, with Davy attending Harry’s 2018 wedding to Meghan Markle.
Harry alleges that the Daily Mail obtained Davy’s exact flight details, seat numbers, and schedules through private detective Mike Behr, who even suggested placing someone next to Davy on a flight.
He also highlighted 2010-2011 Sunday Mail articles detailing where he spent nights and how he gave Davy a set of keys—information only he, Davy, and a few close friends knew.
Feeling Watched
Harry said, “It felt eerie, like someone was always watching. You can’t trust anyone. Every private part of your life ends up exposed for entertainment and profit.”
The Daily Mail’s counterargument was simple: Harry’s social circle leaked information, so reporters didn’t need to spy—they just asked his friends.
Courtroom Exchange
Representing the Daily Mail, lawyer Antony White questioned Harry: “Prince Harry, does your social circle leak your private life?”
Harry replied firmly, “My circle doesn’t leak. I want to make that clear.”
White suggested Harry had good relations with journalists, including Katie Nicholl, former Daily Mail editor and now Vanity Fair royal correspondent.
He also mentioned Harry used a Facebook alias, “Mr. Mischief,” to communicate with Sunday Mail editor Charlotte Griffiths. Harry denied familiarity beyond a single encounter at a friend’s weekend gathering.
Timeline Conflicts
Harry refuted claims about Ibiza trips, noting that his son Archie wasn’t born until 2019, contradicting the alleged timeline.
His emotional response prompted the judge to remind him: “Your job today is to answer questions, not debate the entire case.”
Key Defenses
Harry’s rebuttals were clear:
- He was not friends with the journalists. “We had to work with them. I performed in front of them, knowing how they monetized my private life,” he stated.
- His friends did not leak information. Harry said he learned to cut off anyone suspected of leaking.
White then questioned why Harry didn’t complain earlier. Harry explained, “Because I was part of an institution [the royal family], I couldn’t complain. The rule was: ‘Never complain, never explain.’”
Harry added, “From experience, if you complain, they target you more.” He became emotional, even choking up when mentioning Meghan.
Broader Implications
This case involves about 50 articles. Harry’s 14 are only a part; the remaining 40 affected celebrities such as Elton John, Elizabeth Hurley, Jude Law, and others.
Elton John claimed the Daily Mail obtained his son Zachary’s birth certificate and medical records.
The lawsuit exposes a broader pattern: tabloid newspapers use private detectives, social engineering, and illegal methods to exploit personal information.
For Harry, this is not just about personal privacy—it’s a long-awaited effort for accountability and, perhaps, revenge for his mother’s tragedy.
