Lawsuit against "The Sun Setback for Prince Harry - his private messages are being screened
Prince Harry has been complaining about the British tabloid media for some time. He accuses them of spying. The next trial is due to begin in January. But the judge has weighty questions.
30.06.2024, 13:14
02.07.2024, 15:35
dpa
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- Prince Harry must explain why potentially relevant messages and documents were deleted in the legal dispute against The Sun.
- A judge has ordered that Harry's laptop, text and WhatsApp messages be comprehensively examined to review communications from 2005 to early 2023.
- The Sun's publisher claims that the case is time-barred as Harry was already aware of his claim for damages before 2013, while Harry's lawyer denies this allegation.
Prince Harry has suffered a setback in his lawsuit against the publisher of the British tabloid "The Sun" for illegally obtaining information.
A judge in London ordered the younger son of King Charles III to explain why numerous messages and documents were deleted that were allegedly important for the legal dispute with News Group Newspapers (NGN). This was reported by the British media. It concerns chats between Harry and J.R. Moehringer, the ghostwriter of his autobiography "Reserve".
The 39-year-old accuses NGN of illegally collecting private information about him since the age of nine, for example by hacking into mailboxes.
Harry's messages are to be examined
Judge Timothy Fancourt reportedly said there was evidence that "a large number of potentially relevant documents" and confidential messages between Harry and J.R. Moehringer "were destroyed sometime between 2021 and 2023".
At the time, the lawsuit was already pending. Fancourt ruled that a more extensive search of Harry's laptop as well as text and Whatsapp messages was necessary to investigate communications between 2005 and early 2023.
NGN accuses the fifth in line to the British throne of concealment. He had already known before 2013 that he was entitled to compensation. The case is therefore time-barred. Harry's lawyer David Sherborne, on the other hand, asserted that his client had not exchanged any chat messages about the unlawful procurement of information.
Harry has long been taking legal action against British tabloid media, which he accuses of spying on him. He was partially vindicated and awarded damages.
