No amount of convincing will see Meghan Markle step foot on British soil again, even if it would mean a great deal of support for Prince Harry who’s due to make a major appearance in London’s High Court next month.
The Duke of Sussex will continue his legal battle against Rupert Murdoch’s News Group Newspapers (NGN), the publishers of The Sun, for alleged unlawful information gathering by journalists and private investigators. He has accused NGN of phone tapping, hiring private investigators to place listening devices in cars, and blagging private records between 1996 and 2001.
While the group denies any wrongdoing, the High Court ruling has allowed the case to go to trial after Harry’s legal team was granted access to previously withheld additional emails between senior NGN staff and senior royal aides including Queen Elizabeth II’s private secretaries, Sir Christopher Geidt and Sir Edward Young.
Earlier this month, the Duke’s lawyer David Sherborne, confirmed that the trial is scheduled for January 2025, pending an actual date. Harry has travelled to the U.K. alone in past legal battles and that seems to be the case again. Meghan hasn’t been in the country since Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in September 2022.
Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams claimed that she’s unlikely to change her mind and accompany her husband this time because she doesn’t want the publicity that could come with her presence at such a high-profile case.
“This will be very high-profile and the chances are he (Harry) will appear as he appeared at the last case and that would be accompanied by enormous publicity. I don’t think Meghan will appear, there are several reasons why she will not,” Fitzwilliams said. He pointed out that Meghan did not join Harry before and her presence is also not needed, saying that “tactically from their point of view it would make no sense. She will not give evidence, this case is something that he is pursuing.”
Harry previously lamented the impact his lawsuits have had on his family. Speaking on ITV’s Tabloids on Trial, the Duke acknowledged: “Yeah, that’s certainly a central piece to it,” adding that the pursuit of justice against the press is necessary, despite the personal toll it has taken.
“But, you know, that’s a hard question to answer because anything I say about my family results in a torrent of abuse from the press. I’ve made it very clear that this is something that needs to be done. It’d be nice if we did it as a family. I believe, again, from a service standpoint and when you’re in a public role that these are the things that we should be doing for the greater good. But, you know, I’m doing this for my reasons,” he said.
Last year in June, Harry appeared in court to testify on his case against Mirror Group Newspapers for alleged phone hacking and other privacy violations, making him the first prominent member of the British Royal Family to give evidence in court in 130 years. He came out victorious and was awarded around $180,000 against MGN.
He described the court’s ruling as “vindicating” and said: “Today is a great day for truth as well as accountability. I’ve been told that slaying dragons will get you burned. But in light of today’s victory and the importance of doing what is needed for a free and honest press – it’s a worthwhile price to pay. The mission continues.” Indeed, Harry’s war against the British press continues and, like last time, Meghan won’t be personally around to support her husband in the U.K.
Published: Dec 3, 2024 09:55 am