Prince Harry gives evidence in London phone hacking case

Prince Harry, who appeared in a London court on Tuesday as part of his lawsuit against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN), is giving evidence to prove his claims.

The Duke of Sussex alleges his phone was hacked and other illicit means were used to gather information about his personal life. MGN is contesting those claims, saying Harry's allegations are lacking evidence or have been brought too late.

King Charles III's younger son's appearance has marked the most dramatic moment yet in a years-long battle against the tabloid press, providing the incredibly rare sight of a senior British royal in a courtroom's witness box.

Andrew Green, MGN barrister, has so far focused on Harry's claims about the articles that caused him distress, yet Meghan Markle's hubby has been unable to specifically recall the time he first read each article, or the specific emotional effect they had on him.

The Duke  was asked whether he had read the article at the time, shortly after his 12th birthday , or whether he first read it in preparation to appear in court.

"If you don’t have any recollection of reading the article at the time, how do you say that this article caused you distress?" Green asked Harry. This was the first of several such questions.

Harry tried to link the journalists with his reply, claiming that the "thousands" of articles written about him contributed to a "general effect," which played a "destructive role" during his childhood and adolescence.

Green has also pressed Harry on whether the articles he claims caused him "distress" contained information that could only have been obtained through nefarious means – such as phone hacking – or whether the information was in the public domain.

Harry has claimed that a number of details in the articles "seemed incredibly suspicious."

Green, however, has responded that much of the information had been made public in advance, in some occasions through spokespeople at Buckingham Palace, or through reporters attending public events. Green claims that this sort of reporting is in no way "suspicious."

The Duke has responded as saying: "You will have to ask the journalist how they obtained the information." 

Harry, in March, appeared at a court hearing in his case against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) over allegations of unlawful information gathering, which that group has denied.