Prince Harry’s legal battle with British press to be ‘pyrrhic victory at best’

Prince Harry appeared in court to take the witness stand in his trial against British tabloids in the phone hacking case.

The Duke of Sussex, 38, detailed articles published by the Mirror Group Newspapers which were “most likely gleaned from voicemail interception and/or unlawful information gathering.”

Royal expert and author of The King, Christopher Andersen, dubbed Prince Harry’s decision to take the stand as “brave,” however, he also speculated if it was a “wise” move.

“The royal family has always played the long game when it comes to the press,” Anderson told Fox News Digital.

“The monarchy is a brand and needs to maintain a working relationship with Britain’s tabloids. There is simply no way around it. This is simply a fact of life. The king knows, as his mother Queen Elizabeth II knew before him, that he may sit on the throne now but the press reigns forever.”

However, if the Duke was to win the case against the press, the victory will be coming at a great cost, literally and figuratively.

“If Harry prevails in this case, it will be a pyrrhic victory at best,” Andersen explained. “Harry has cast himself in the role of David battling Goliath, but I don’t envision this giant going down quite so easily.”

Along with the Mirror’s parent company, Harry is also suing News Group Newspapers, The Sun and the Associated Newspapers Ltd, which owns the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday. The testimony from the Duke also makes him the first member of the royal family in 100 years to testify in court.

Moreover, according to a highly placed palace source cited by Page Six, the royal family is not happy with the ongoing legal battles.

“I can’t imagine anyone is pleased,” adding they will be “privately bracing themselves.”

“Harry would see himself as fighting their battle too, to protect the reputation of the monarchy,” another royal insider said. “But certainly, they [the royal family] avoid confrontation with the media in most instances. And litigation is so lengthy. stressful and unpredictable, not to mention expensive.”