Prince Harry has dominated headlines this week following a series of emotional appearances at the High Court. Now, fresh reports suggest he has also been offering quiet support to fellow claimant Elizabeth Hurley.
The Duke of Sussex has been in London for court proceedings in a case against Associated Newspapers Limited this week.
He is battling against the publisher of the Daily Mail over allegations of unlawful information gathering.
Prince Harry supports Elizabeth Hurley
While on the witness stand, Prince Harry spoke openly about the effect the alleged privacy intrusions have had on his mental health.
He claims that journalists working for ANL carried out repeated intrusions into his private affairs.
Harry is one of several high-profile figures bringing legal action against the publisher. The group also includes Sir Elton John and his husband David Furnish.
Campaigner Baroness Doreen Lawrence, politician Sir Simon Hughes, and actors Sadie Frost and Elizabeth Hurley are also claiming against ANL.
According to attorney David Sherborne, the claimants have faced a “clear, systematic and sustained use of unlawful information gathering” over a period of two decades.
Elizabeth Hurley told the High Court this week that her landlines and home had allegedly been bugged in what she described as a “brutal invasion of privacy”.
Elizabeth Hurley testified
The 60-year-old actress reportedly paused several times during her evidence as she struggled to compose herself.
As reported by The Guardian, Hurley told the court that information for “deeply hurtful and damaging” articles had been gathered by bugging her windowsill and using material from tapped landlines.
When questioned about why she had not complained earlier about 15 articles published between 2002 and 2011, she explained her reasoning.
“They were, in essence, true,” she said, according to People.
“I believe it’s because people were listening to me speak,” she added.
Prince Harry’s support
Royal expert Ian Pelham Turner later said it was a “no-brainer” for Prince Harry to attend court on Thursday. Despite not testifying that day.
Speaking to Fox News Digital, Ian said: “Harry was pleased to support Liz Hurley. She felt that, allegedly, her home had been bugged. Which caused her tremendous upset and worries that unknown people had illegally invaded her privacy.”
Royal commentator Meredith Constant also told the publication: “Prince Harry was originally supposed to testify today. So it’s nice to see him in court after an emotional day to support another claimant. It’s a visual reminder that this case isn’t just about Prince Harry, it’s powerful. It’s not a case of whinging and giving the British royal family a massive headache, as some U.K. outlets have tried to frame it.”
Elizabeth Hurley’s claims
In a statement submitted to the court, Hurley accused Associated Newspapers Limited of serious privacy violations.
She claimed the company was “landline tapping my phones and recording my live telephone conversations, placing surreptitious mics on my home windows, stealing my medical information when I was pregnant… and other monstrous, staggering things.”
She added: “Above all, it was the discovery that the Mail had tapped the landlines of my home phones and tape-recorded my live telephone conversations that devastated me. I felt crushed.”
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