The High Court was told on Monday that a private investigator, accused of harvesting confidential information for the publisher of the Mail, boasted of being able to access Queen Elizabeth II’s medical records.
The trial opened in London with Prince Harry, Sir Elton John, Baroness Doreen Lawrence and several other prominent figures bringing legal action against Associated Newspapers Limited over claims of unlawful information gathering.
During the first day of proceedings, barrister David Sherborne presented evidence that private investigator Jonathan Rees, who ran Southern Investigations, allegedly bragged about his ability to obtain highly sensitive personal data.
Mr Sherborne told the court: "Rees liked to boast about the information he could get. 'We can get the Queen's medical records', he once said."
Queen Elizabeth II medical records targeted by private investigator, High Court hears
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ANL vehemently denies all allegations against the publisher.
The court additionally heard allegations that Mr Rees engaged in phone tapping, computer hacking, and bribing police officers as part of what was described as a "whole range of other unlawful activities".
Evidence came from Derek Haslam, a former Metropolitan Police officer who worked undercover to infiltrate Southern Investigations.
Mr Haslam's written testimony claimed that Mr Rees would "disturbingly" boast about being able to access the Police Witness Protection Scheme.
Prince Harry pictured exiting the High Court in London | GETTYAccording to the former officer, the private investigator maintained that "nothing in terms of private information was beyond their reach using illegal means".
Mr Rees allegedly held meetings in a pub with police officers seeking additional income by selling information.
The court also heard that Mr Rees was "obsessed with the Stephen Lawrence murder".
Mr Sherborne alleged that the private investigator approached contacts within the Metropolitan Police seeking "filth" on Stephen Lawrence's mother, Baroness Doreen Lawrence.
Court artist sketch by Elizabeth Cook of the Duke of Sussex listens as his barrister David Sherborne speaks in front of Mr Justice Nicklin at the Royal Courts Of Justice
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The barrister told the court that Mr Rees intended to use any damaging information to blackmail the campaigner.
Baroness Lawrence, who has spent decades fighting for justice following her son's racist murder in 1993, is among the claimants bringing the case against the Mail's publisher.
The allegations form part of the wider claims that ANL employed unlawful methods to gather private information about high-profile individuals.
ANL's barrister, Antony White KC, submitted that the allegation concerning Mr Rees targeting Lady Lawrence was "unfounded".
Prince Harry and Queen Elizabeth II pictured in 2017
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The publisher conducted searches but discovered no payment records to Mr Rees, Southern Investigations "or any of their entities", the court heard.
Journalist Stephen Wright, whose byline appeared on each story about Lady Lawrence referenced in the claim, "categorically denies ever having met or spoken to Mr Rees, nor has he ever commissioned Mr Rees or his company to carry out any investigations or other acts, legal or illegal".
Mr White argued that Mr Haslam "is unable to recall a single specific story Mr Rees worked on or sold to the Mail".