Prince Harry judge ‘absolutely furious’ by Duke’s High Court no-show, claims commentator
Prince Harry is suing MGN for damages
PA
Prince Harry’s judge is "absolutely furious" by the Duke's High Court no-show, according to royal commentator Angela Levin.
Harry, 38, was expected to arrive at court on Monday but his lawyers said he would not appear until Tuesday, when he is due to face cross-examination from Mirror Group Newspaper’s (MGN) barrister.
Justice Fancourt, the judge hearing the case, expressed his “surprise” at his absence.
Speaking on GB News, Angela Levin said: “It’s so extraordinary and so hopeless, I just couldn’t believe he couldn’t find anyone to guard him.
The Duke of Sussex
PA“I spoke to a friend about what the judge meant by ‘surprised’, she said he’s absolutely furious.
“It is very rude and she said it wouldn’t help him with the case. You don’t just not turn up.
“He’s got a team that could have got something together.”
The judge said he gave a direction earlier in the trial that witnesses should be available the day before their evidence was due to be heard in case the legal teams’ opening speeches ran short.
Harry is suing MGN for damages, claiming journalists at its titles, which also include the Sunday Mirror and Sunday People, were linked to methods including phone hacking.
Harry alleges about 140 articles published between 1996 and 2010 contained information gathered using unlawful methods, and 33 of these have been selected to be considered at the trial.
Opening Harry’s individual case on Monday, Mr Sherborne said “the ends justified the means” for MGN and that details about Harry’s life were “a story too good not to publish”.
The barrister said: “It’s clear that stories about Prince Harry’s private life drove sales, it’s obvious.
“After all, articles were the ends,” Mr Sherborne said, adding: “These are the ends that justify the means for the defendant.”
“The unlawful means which is what this claim is about,” he added.
Sherborne continued: “Every facet of his life, even the revelations of the ups and downs of his first serious relationships with Ms Davy is still splashed across the paper as an exclusive.
“A story too good not to publish,” the barrister said, adding that the relationship was covered “in full technicolour glory”.
MGN is contesting the claims and has either denied or not admitted each of them.
The publisher also argues some of the claimants have brought their legal action too late.