Prince Harry is due to spend a few days (at least) in the UK this month. He is one of seven plaintiffs suing the publisher of Daily Mail, and the trial begins on January 19th. The Telegraph believes that Harry will be in London for the start of the trial, and he will be the first (or one of the first) to testify, or give evidence as I think it’s called in the UK. The Telegraph also has some curious insider information, including the tea that Harry hasn’t booked his flight yet? And that Harry is not going to see his father.

The Duke of Sussex is unlikely to see his father, the King, when he returns to the UK this month for his trial against the publisher of the Daily Mail, The Telegraph understands. Prince Harry will fly back to London from California for the opening of his High Court privacy claim, which is pencilled in for Jan 19. He is expected to be the first witness to give evidence as seven high-profile claimants, including Baroness Lawrence and Sir Elton John, each take their turn to testify before being cross-examined.

With the specific trial timetable still unconfirmed, the Duke is unable to commit to any specific dates or times. He has still not been able to book his flights. But with multiple commitments pencilled in his diary in the United States, his return to the UK will probably span only a few days.

The King, who tends to take a break from public duties for most of January, will almost certainly be in Scotland on the dates in question. But more pertinently, royal sources acknowledge that he has no wish to be linked to any court proceedings, meaning that on this occasion, he would prefer to give his younger son a wide berth.

The claimant’s barrister, David Sherborne, has told all seven claimants to attend the opening of the trial in a “show of strength”. If he gets his wish, Sir Elton, his husband David Furnish, Liz Hurley, Baroness Lawrence, Sadie Frost and Sir Simon Hughes will take their seats in Court 73.

The nine-week trial, which is projected to cost more than £38m, will hear them accuse Associated Newspapers Limited of hiring private investigators to place listening devices inside cars, “blag” private records and access private phone conversations. The publisher has described the allegations as “lurid” and “simply preposterous”.

The Duke is expected to draw on his experience of giving evidence during his High Court claim against Mirror Group Newspapers in 2023, when he became the first senior member of the Royal family to testify in court in 130 years. He will also be hoping to replicate the outcome after claiming a victory in almost half of his claims against the publisher, with the judge finding evidence of “widespread and habitual” use of phone hacking at the Mirror newspapers. Prince Harry was awarded £140,600 in damages, and described it as a “great day for truth” and accountability.

The Duke was not in the UK when his claim against News Group Newspapers (NGN), publisher of The Sun, was settled on the eve of a separate planned trial in January last year. NGN agreed to pay “substantial damages” and offered a “full and unequivocal apology” to Prince Harry for the intrusion into his private life “including incidents of unlawful activities carried out by private investigators working for The Sun” between 1996 and 2011.

Whatever happens with the Associated Newspapers claim – and there is no suggestion the publisher plans to settle – he is determined to be there for the opening.

[From The Telegraph]

How in the world does the Telegraph know that Harry hasn’t booked his flights? That’s the kind of information which is close-hold from Team Sussex, due to the security situation in the UK. My guess is that the Telegraph has connections with various airlines and airports and they’re able to track Harry’s movements that way. As for Harry not seeing his father… in QEII’s day, she would stay at Sandringham until early February every year. Charles mixes it up, and for some reason, he likes being in Scotland in the dead of winter. But whatever, yeah, Harry is busy and of course he’s not going to travel to Scotland or go out of his way to his dad. What else? I don’t think the Mail will settle, so Harry and the other plaintiffs are probably being told to hang in there and stay ready.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid.