Prince Harry to Address Phone Hacking Lawsuit in New ITV

Prince Harry will discuss his recent phone hacking lawsuit against the Mirror Group Newspapers in an upcoming ITV documentary.

The U.K. broadcaster will premiere a new program on Thursday, July 25, called Tabloids on Trial, which will break down the scandal.

“Featuring Prince Harry’s first major interview since the conclusion of his court case with Mirror Group Newspapers, this documentary hears about his mission to continue his fight to expose the illegal tactics of Britain’s tabloid press and explores what those in charge at Fleet Street really knew as this scandal unfolded,” a press release from ITV reads.

Harry, 39, will chat with ITV presenters regarding his perspective. Tabloids on Trial will also feature testimonies from Hugh Grant, Charlotte Church, Paul Cascoigne and other individuals “catapulted into the public eye.”

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For Harry, it will be the first time that he has addressed the legal battle in depth.

“This documentary hears about his mission to continue his fight to expose the illegal tactics of Britain’s tabloid press and explores what those in charge at Fleet Street really knew as this scandal unfolded,” ITV adds in its statement.

The Duke of Sussex was among the public individuals who sued Mirror Group Newspapers, which publishes U.K. outlets like The Mirror, and claimed the organization illegally hacked his phone to gather intel between 1996 and 2011. The Mirror Group Newspapers, for their part, denied the allegations. The trial began in June 2023, with the court ruling in Harry’s favor the following December.

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According to court documents obtained by Us Weekly, a judge found “sufficient proof” that Mirror Group Newspapers “engaged in unlawful information gathering, including phone hacking.” Harry was awarded £140,600 ($180,000) in damages.

“This case is not just about hacking. It is about a systemic practice of unlawful and appalling behavior, followed by clever-ups and destruction of evidence, the shocking scale of which can only be revealed through these proceedings,” Harry said in a statement at the time. “The journey to justice can be a slow and painful one and since bringing my claim almost five years ago defamatory stories and intimidating tactics have been deployed against me and at my family’s expense.”

He continued, “My commitment to seeing this case through is based on my belief in our need — and collective right — to a free and honest press. And one which is properly accountable when necessary. That is what we need in Britain and across the globe. Anything else is poisoning the well for a profession we all depend on.”

Tabloids On Trial airs in the U.K. on ITV1 and ITVX Thursday, July 25, at 9 p.m. BST.

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