Prince Harry continues to find himself in court for an ongoing series of lawsuits that he and Duchess Meghan have brought against an intrusive media.
Over the past few years, the couple has filed more than a half-dozen lawsuits in both the U.S. and England against various media entities, who they accuse of not just invading their privacy but also of putting their lives at risk.
Harry has a particular grievance against the press, anchored in part to his contention that paparazzi were to blame for the 1997 death of his mother, Princess Diana, as she tried to flee photographers in Paris. On May 16, the duke and duchess said they experienced their own “near catastrophic car chase” in New York.
Harry has five active lawsuits that are directly related to the safety and privacy of his family, which include the couple’s two young children, Archie, 4, and Lilibet, 1.
One is related to reinstating his family’s police protection; two others are against separate newspaper companies, Mirror Group Newspapers and News Group Newspapers, accusing them of illegal information gathering; and two suits against Associated Newspapers Ltd. accuse them of libel and illegal information gathering.
Here are more details about Prince Harry’s present and past lawsuits.
Here’s what to know:What actually happened during Prince Harry and Meghan’s ‘car chase’?
More:Security experts challenge details of Harry and Meghan’s ‘chaotic’ chase with paparazzi
Prince Harry is denied the right to pay for his own police protection in England
What was it? The suit attempted to win back Harry’s right to pay for his own police protection while visiting England. Police protection is granted at no cost to working royals, but that privilege was rescinded when Harry and Meghan announced in 2020 that they were stepping away for their royal duties.
Status: The case is closed.
On May 23, a London judge ruled against Harry. The duke and duchess can still opt to pay for a private security detail, but cannot hire active police officers. This case is separate from another Harry has brought against the state, in which he is seeking to have his state security restored despite no longer being a working royal.
Prince Harry is still seeking to overturn the withdrawal of police protection
What is it? In a lawsuit separate from his recently failed challenge to be able to pay for police protection, Prince Harry also is filed suit to try and overturn the decision to eliminate state-funded protection given he and his wife are not part of the working-royal group.
Status: The suit is filed, but no court dates have been set.
Prince Harry’s phone hacking trial begins in London
What is it? The High Court in London is currently hearing a case brought by Harry and other celebrities against Mirror Group Newspapers, owner of British tabloid Daily Mirror. The lawsuit, one of three similar suits filed by Harry against publishers accused of hacking the phones of celebrities, alleges that between 1996 and 2011 the Mirror as well as The Sun and Daily Mail hacked into phone voicemails in order to access private information.
A decade ago, the phone hacking revelation caused a scandal, as British journalists and private eyes intercepted voicemails to snoop on members of the royal family, politicians, athletes, celebrities and even crime victims.
Status: The trial is underway. Harry is expected to testify in June.
Earlier this month, lawyers for the Daily Mirror acknowledged the phone hacking should never have occurred and agreed that some sort of compensation was due to the claimants. But the tabloid’s lawyers also argued that Harry and other celebrities brought their case beyond a reasonable time limit and that the case should be thrown out.
Context:British tabloid publisher admits to unlawfully gathering information about Prince Harry
See photos:Prince Harry, Elton John appear in London court for privacy lawsuit against tabloid
Prince William’s settlement with Rupert Murdoch’s media empire impacts Harry’s cases
What was it? In April, court documents related to Harry’s aforementioned phone hacking lawsuit brought to light that his brother, Prince William, allegedly received a payout in a 2020 settlement with News Group Newspapers, the British arm of the media empire owned by Austrian mogul Rupert Murdoch.
Status: This case is ongoing.
William’s settlement is being used by Harry’s lawyers in his lawsuit against News Group Newspapers, which is the publisher of The Sun and now-defunct News Of The World.
Prince Harry’s legal team used that information to argue that Harry’s lawsuit against the media companies should not be thrown out. Lawyers noted the payout agreement, which was said to have been authorized by the late Queen Elizabeth II, was aimed at preventing any future litigation from other royals.
Lawyers for the news organization deny there was a secret agreement, while Harry claims the arrangement was aimed at compensating members of the royal family without risking potential embarrassment on the witness stand.
Prince Harry’s 2 lawsuits against Mail on Sunday owner are ongoing
What is it? In February 2022, Harry filed a suit in which he claimed that an article in the Mail on Sunday, sister paper to Daily Mail, both owned by Associated Newspapers Ltd., accused him of trying to mislead the public about a separate legal battle with the government over his police protection, which was stripped away when the couple announced they would no longer be working royals.
Status: A judge agreed Harry’s lawsuit could proceed. On May 23, a judge ultimately ruled against Harry in the paid police protection case.
In July, a London judge ruled that the article was defamatory, which allows Harry to take another step towards taking the libel claim against Associated Newspapers Ltd. to trial. Harry also is suing the company for illegally obtaining private information.
More:Prince Harry sues tabloid for defamation after story on police security protection
Duchess Meghan wins case involving published extracts of private letter to her father
What was it? Duchess Meghan made an invasion of privacy claim against Associated Newspapers Ltd. after the Mail on Sunday published extracts of a letter she wrote to her estranged father in 2018.
Status: Duchess Meghan won her case.
In February 2021, Meghan won and received a symbolic 1 British pound, or around $1.24, for the victory, which her lawyers said was mostly about the principle of privacy. The publication was ordered by the court to publish a notice that it had lost the case. The publisher’s appeal was rejected.
Settlement reached in case of aerial photos of Prince Archie
What was it? In July 2020, the couple filed a lawsuit against U.S. celebrity photo agency X17, alleging that photographers used drones and helicopters to take aerial photos of their son Archie, then 14 months old, as he played at their private residence in Montecito, near Santa Barbara, California.
Status: The case was settled.
In October of that year, the couple reached a settlement with the agency, which apologized to the family and agreed to stop distributing the images in question.
Helicopter shots of the couple’s English home spurs lawsuit, settlement
What was it? Harry sued Splash News and Picture Agency over aerial photographs taken of the home he shared with Meghan in the Cotswolds outside of London, after which the couple decided to move out of the house. Harry argued the photos, taken by helicopter, captured images of private rooms in their home, including the bedroom.
Status: The case was settled.
In May 2019, Harry received a financial settlement and an apology from Splash News and Picture Agency. Splash News had to also cover all legal costs of the suit as is customary in the British judicial system.
Background:Prince Harry launches new libel lawsuit against British tabloid months after Duchess Meghan’s win
Click Here For The Original Source.
————————————————————————————-