Everyone’s still all abuzz that Prince Harry managed another stealth visit to the UK. It’s been almost a year since Harry and Meghan made their stealth visit to QEII in Windsor too – bad memories for the British media, because they were utterly scrambling to rewrite all of their narratives about how Harry was evil for never spending time with his elderly grandmother. Anyway, by the looks of things, Harry did arrive in London solo, with the sole purpose of attending this four-day pre-trial hearing in his lawsuit against ANL, the parent company of the Mail. This is part of the larger lawsuit into phone hacking, financial hacking and years of criminal activity undertaken by the Mail. Not to be confused with Harry’s lawsuit against the Mail for lying about his security or his lawsuit against the Mirror for much of the same thing as this ANL lawsuit.
The British media didn’t want to spend this much time talking about ANL and this lawsuit. Harry forced their hands by showing up in person to the High Court. According to the BBC, Harry sat in a few rows back from his lawyers and took notes:
The Duke of Sussex has unexpectedly appeared at the High Court as legal proceedings begin in a privacy case. Prince Harry and other individuals are suing Associated Newspapers Ltd (ANL), publishers of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday. The duke, singer Sir Elton John and actresses Sadie Frost and Liz Hurley are among the individuals who allege unlawful information gathering. The publisher has described the allegations as “preposterous smears”.
A four-day preliminary High Court hearing in London, starting on Monday, will consider legal arguments and a judge will decide whether the case will go any further. ANL is bidding to end the claims. Prince Harry’s appearance will be seen by many as a sign of his strength of feeling over his privacy and determination regarding the legal action.
The group launched the legal action last year after becoming aware of “compelling and highly distressing evidence that they have been the victims of abhorrent criminal activity and gross breaches of privacy” by ANL, according to a statement by law firm Hamlins released in October 2022. Court proceedings began with a bid by ANL’s lawyers to have certain reporting restrictions imposed in the case.
The Duke of Sussex sat towards the back of the courtroom, occasionally taking notes in a small black notebook as legal arguments were made by ANL’s barrister Catrin Evans KC. Frost sat two seats away from Harry in the courtroom.
We love a note-taker and receipt-keeper. We love a man who actively participates in a lawsuit which will (hopefully) change the way the British media does business. It’s also funny that one of the first items on the agenda for this pre-trial hearing was about the Mail wanting to put limitations on what the media can report about the case.
Meanwhile, the British tabloids are obviously much more focused on what Harry’s appearance means for family relations. While the Telegraph reported that King Charles is “too busy” to see his son and that William and Kate are on vacation, the Sun actually pointed out that Charles isn’t even in London or Windsor right now? I guess Charles decided to retire to Highgrove this weekend after his French trip was canceled. And… like, he’s just going to stay in Highgrove until he goes to Germany on Wednesday? The Sun also says that the Wales family is “not in Windsor” because it’s the kids’ Easter break. The assumption, I suppose, is that they retired to Anmer Hall, but we really don’t know. Peg and Buttons travel undercover all the time too, they could be sitting on a beach in South America for all we know. I love how Harry’s surprise trip highlights the active media collusion to protect the lazy Windsors too.
He looks dashing.
Photos courtesy of Getty, Avalon Red.
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- Prince Harry arrives at The Royal Courts Of Justice in London, England, UK on Monday 27 March, 2023. He is suing the Associated Newspapers Ltd (ANL) in the High Court over an article published in The Mail On Sunday in February 2022 about his security arrangements in the UK.,Image: 765422162, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Please credit photographer and agency when publishing as Justin Ng/UPPA/Avalon., Model Release: no, Credit line: Justin Ng / Avalon
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- Prince Harry arrives at The Royal Courts Of Justice in London, England, UK on Monday 27 March, 2023. He is suing the Associated Newspapers Ltd (ANL) in the High Court over an article published in The Mail On Sunday in February 2022 about his security arrangements in the UK.,Image: 765422185, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Please credit photographer and agency when publishing as Justin Ng/UPPA/Avalon., Model Release: no, Credit line: Justin Ng / Avalon
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- Prince Harry arrives at The Royal Courts Of Justice in London, England, UK on Monday 27 March, 2023. He is suing the Associated Newspapers Ltd (ANL) in the High Court over an article published in The Mail On Sunday in February 2022 about his security arrangements in the UK.,Image: 765422192, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Please credit photographer and agency when publishing as Justin Ng/UPPA/Avalon., Model Release: no, Credit line: Justin Ng / Avalon
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- Prince Harry arrives at The Royal Courts Of Justice in London, England, UK on Monday 27 March, 2023. He is suing the Associated Newspapers Ltd (ANL) in the High Court over an article published in The Mail On Sunday in February 2022 about his security arrangements in the UK.,Image: 765422200, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Please credit photographer and agency when publishing as Justin Ng/UPPA/Avalon., Model Release: no, Credit line: Justin Ng / Avalon
He was probably writing down all the lies they told. He might need another notebook.
😂 def gonna need another notebook
He’s got to collect those receipts. At least he uses his notebook, unlike Kate who likes to carry hers around for show with her royal cipher.
😂😂 Is a notebook even a proper notebook without the cipher?? Maybe if it says “Notebook” on it?!?!
Gotta love Virgos, man. Virgos love lists.
I bet he has an Arya list a mile long at this point.
Bet he watches GOT with a new appreciation now, lol.
Harry caught everyone off-guard and flat-footed. None of his family is around so he could move undetected and un-spied-upon. He’s taking names so he can kick ascot. Doing his due diligence. Love to see it.
ThatsNotOkay, Either the family knew he was coming (but watching KC’s shambles of a news cycle last week…), or they were surprised last minute that Harry would actually show up in person. Especially because he seemingly hasn’t RSVPed for the Chubbly. Love the notebook detail!
I believe he definitely caught them all “flat footed”. I don’t think he told anyone he was showing up except maybe the others he is in the lawsuit with, mainly Elton John because he also showed up. I saw a report that these types of hearings rarely have anyone in attendance beyond the attorneys but the courtroom was packed due to the arrival of Prince Harry. That to me is the point of his trip he wants a bright light to shine on all the underhanded proceedings and actions by the daily fail and I believe he has the rats terrified (trying to argue human rights violations is just sick with how they have no problem blatantly violating others human rights especially the Sussex families) because these people have money and worldwide media attention and won’t be settling.
Thanks Kaiser for clearing things up, I know he is due for an in person hearing on the 9th of may . I hope he wins all his cases. Funny enough I’ve seen a lot of support for him in the Uk contrary to media reports
I don’t think we *do* know that he’ll be in person on 9 May. Thus far that’s speculation.
Exactly. And just because the trial starts on May 9th, doesn’t mean he will be there on day 1. It’s supposed to last for weeks. No one know what day is his day for testimony.
Also, I’m just finding it REALLY hard to believe that he would give the public and the press such advanced notice of his movements. It’s a security risk. Unless his RAVEC case works out on his favor and he gets his security back, I can’t see him stepping foot back in the UK when everyone knows his moves.
Stay safe Harry. Your family – and the world – need you.
I love that he took notes. I hope Elton shows up tomorrow.
Yes you’re right about staying safe! Hopefully all goes well and he gets out quickly too.
Elton was there today. He came through the back entrance.
He looks so damn handsome too! All suited and booted, taking notes and shit. Gwen Paltrow should take notice of this too. Harry is READY and not playing with you hoes! Stop scrolling on your mobile lady.
Yes. He looks fantastic. Longer hair? A bit of a tan maybe? Just overall more relaxed? Whatever it is, I’m into it.
Remember our Honk for Harry campaign, just before he met M? Boy did we get what we wished for!
I was going to say, living a blessed and quiet life centered around his family is doing him all kinds of favors. After this, I hope he goes on a Polo retreat or something and gets the salt out of his skin. 😀
Also the whole- no time to have a sit down and discuss things with Harry before the fancy hat event – seem even more pathetic now. He’s right there. And his dad booked his ass out of town so he wouldn’t see him. Like he couldn’t take a helicopter in if he wanted. He takes them across town to avoid traffic.
If the riots were not going on, chucky would’ve been in France.
It’s not like England is that big of a country, to get around.
Especially with their fleet of helicopters.
People Magazine is claiming he told chucky and Cain he was coming to England, why I don’t believe it, because it was not leaked.
People mag really think that Cain and chucky talk to Harry or he need their permission to visit England.
Look at the crowd outside the courthouse now as to when he arrived.
@,Jane, exactly, it wasn’t leaked so NO he didn’t tell anyone. Harry knows that the element of surprise is with him and an awful lot of those newspaper execs are now VERY worried
Yeah, I don’t believe that story either because it wasn’t leaked.
Maybe he did tell them he was coming but told them that if it was leaked he would call them out on it publicly. That’s what I would do.
There’s no exile for this man as much as the crazies desire it, he strolls in and out as he pleases and no permission needed.
His visit is legal business, when both the monarch and heir was due to be elsewhere, and being a non-working royal he does not have to coordinate diary dates. So he did not.
Wherever did Harry find a notebook that doesn’t say “Notebook” across the cover? How will people know he is Serious and Keen on taking notes if it doesn’t say “Notebook”?! 😉
But seriously, and to quote my favourite Austen-nerd meme, Harry is here to drink tea and pollute the shades of Pemberley – and he’s all outta tea. Beautiful.
An Austen reference is ALWAYS welcome, and why we read Celebitchy, isn’t it?
I thought maybe he borrowed Kate’s. We know she’s not using it! 😉
Way to go Harry. You arriving under the radar of the media that has a vendetta going against you and meghan for years (aided and abetted by your family and the Palace toads), has got them all in a SPIN, SPIN being the operative word, oh “,”, the walses are not in London because the children are on holiday! But thousands of others are, because they are still working while their children are on holiday, because unlike the public funded Royal family they have to WORK for their money! And Charles is at his country home 🤣🤣yep, sulking and throwing pens because his “grand visit”, (for grand visit read political manoeuvres) to France has been cancelled. Well go get the bstds Harry, take your notes because you can bet anything you want, you sat with your notebook (hope you have a large supply of them), is going to unsettle them even more. The media has tried to portray Harry as either thick or slow for years, and they can now see those words are coming back to bite them. Wonder what the media’s barrister is thinking every time he turns around and sees Harry patiently sat there writing down every lie they are spinning
I hope he, Elton John, Elizabeth Hurley, and the other three triumph in this lawsuit. DM has too deep of a hold and are long overdue a reckoning.
So Harry was the dimwitted son? Sorry, folk, this man is clever, highly intelligent and is beating the media, and his family, at their own game. So Charles and William thought he was stupid. I guarantee that he is smarter than those two put together. How careful he is with his “surprise” visits to the UK, how well thought out his strategies, how much fun it is to watch the Royal being humiliated and that includes old leather guts, the side piece. Well done, Harry.
@,Patricia, right with you there!
He really is the smarter one and it makes me sad to think of how he was maligned in the press for YEARS for being the dumb party prince.
indeed….
It is about critical and logical thinking,
And how he was failed by his expensive schools, if the dyslexia talk is true.
FYI there is a new training program from Made By Dyslexia. Free one-day training for all educators to learn about, learn to recognize dyslexia, and how to teach to different learning styles.
I thought while reading Spare that he sounded an awful lot like he had ADHD, which I also have. But I figured I was projecting, and I know trauma can often cause ADHD-like stuff. Then on the podcast with the trauma specialist, the specialist said Harry sounded to him like he had ADHD, so I’ve been patting myself on the back about that.
My ADHD happened to slot okay into school, because my intelligence tends towards words and numbers. So long as it’s printed, so long as I’m reading it or can take notes to read it, and it’s interesting to me, I’m fine. I cultivated being interested in “everything” as well as I could, which translated into straight A’s — until I hit calculus, which I could not possibly interest myself in, and which the teacher didn’t try to make interesting, and I could not care.
Harry’s intelligence, otoh, tends toward the spatial, as he describes it in his book. That does not do as well in a traditional school setting. Also, his schooling was that horrifically bad British boys’ boarding school system that is cruel, cold, and dull, in order to create cruel, cold, dull men to lead an “empire.” Incredibly bad for any child, but for one who cannot even pretend to fit in — like, say, if they have ADHD? Torture.
Will thought he was stupid. I think Charles, while quite stupid himself, is capable of seeing when people are smarter than him — and hating them for it. It’s one reason he hated Diana, and it’s a big reason he’s always hated Harry. It’s also a big reason he likes to keep Camilla around; she’s shrewd, but she’s shallow, incurious, and uninteresting.
Stealth and on the ball Harry . These people don’t know what they have done by going after his wife and children constantly. Don’t poke the beast if you don’t want to be mauled .
Yes , the Peggs-mcbuttons kids are on vacation for 3 and a half almost 4 weeks so nope . No work . Although Katie might be yanked back from her vacation to distract from Harry being there . Good luck with that Katie keen . Nobody knows and nobody cares. Haz is in building. Let’s gets this party started. Lol.
I’m loving this. The press and the royalists are pissed about Harry coming to the UK for this case. I don’t know but I just have a feeling Harry won’t go to the coronation anyway if he and Meghan didn’t get an invitation yet, I don’t think they will get one now.
I love how Harry and the others are in court because the Faily Heil allegedly had their phones hacked, and medical data illegally accessed, among other things.
But when it was reported that Diana thought her phones were hacked, or her place at KP wiretapped, Bulliam the Incandescent called her paranoid…
Harry proving once again why he’s the better brother.
I love so much that he just completely blew up the British media’s intentions to ignore this trial. They were going to trial-what-trial? this whole thing and then Harry came strolling into London and boom.
I forget if it was in the Netflix special or “Spare” that Harry revealed he was an avid notetaker and had been for years. I love that he is taking notes in court; who better to track all the media lies than the person who has been subjected to them his entire life? Usually clients don’t bother showing up at pretrials because there are a lot of discussions about preliminary procedural issues to be dealt with before trial and which substantive issues can be settled vs need to tried. Even the best lawyers can’t possibly know all the ins-and-outs of the factual history underpinning the case, you need an organized client to guide you through that so you have what you need to argue more effectively. I’m guessing ANL may be throwing all sorts of sh*t at the wall to try to toss this case and Harry is one of the best weapons the plaintiffs have to rebut the nonsense. Gooo Harry!
Sidenote: I am so glad Meghan helped improve his personal style. He is rocking that patterned skinny tie. Very subtly and visibly interesting for photos, yet simple and suitable for court.
He looks great. He doesn’t have to shop at TK Maxx any more either! The financial abuse aspect of his story is breathtaking to me. Those people have all the money in the world, yet he didn’t even have a couch in his tiny cottage until Meghan put one on her card!
Notice the contrast between honest and relaxed Harry and his older brother who looks rigid with bitterness and envy? Harry is smoking hot and focusing all that attention on a case that ANL don’t want to come to trial let alone get talked about at all! How ironic that ANL don’t want Harry in the witness stand: what exactly are they trying to hide from the public? Just because you are famous it is illegal to plant bugs, steal medical details and phone hack etc., That isn’t journalism is it?
@Lady Digby
“That isn’t journalism is it?”
Um……..it is britshidtmedia journalism, tho.
To think that when I did my media & communications undergrad degree back in the early 90s, british (& US) journalism and some of its then well-known journalists and media houses, incl bbc, were held up as paragons! How the mighty have fallen.
Harry kicking a** and taking names! I am here for it!
This is such disgraceful work from the BBC; they pretend this is just a celebrity privacy case with the Daily Mail is being accused of bugging people’s homes and cars, paying off cops, paying PIs to get access to medical and financial records, etc of not just Prince Harry and Elton John but also Doreen Lawrence.
Yes, Doreen Lawrence, the mother of Stephen Lawrence who was brutally murdered as the result of a racist hate crime, says that while their family was grieving the Daily Mail was spying on them. It’s disgusting. I’m so glad that Harry, Elton, and Sadie, have joined forces with her on this case and i hope they get some real justice against these terrible people.
They tried to make people think the only smart one in that family was stupid so no one would listen to him. Well the poppy is growing tall, the crab has escaped the bucket, and the tabloids are only beginning to find out.
They wanted to force him to give 28 days(?) notice before coming to the UK so they could decide if Harry would be given security. This is Harry saying – I come and go as I please. I love it!
There is an excellent documentary “The Princes & the Press”, BBC I think. You should watch it if you get a chance. Revealing about the tactics of the press. First photographer encapsulated the problem ” Harry sells. He is more popular than William”.