They allege “abhorrent criminal activity” and “gross breaches of privacy.” The Duke of Sussex’s lawyers provided Harper’s Bazaar with a list of alleged “unlawful acts” that include the planting of listening devices inside people’s cars and homes as well as the “commissioning of individuals to surreptitiously listen into and record people’s live, private telephone calls whilst they were taking place.”
Also in the group are campaigner Baroness Doreen Lawrence, Elton John’s partner David Furnish, actor and producer Sadie Frost and actor Elizabeth Hurley. According to the group’s lawyers, they are in possession of “compelling and highly distressing evidence.” They also allege the paying of corrupt police officials for information, the accessing of bank accounts through “illicit means” and the obtaining of private medical records “by deception.” The statement said that the alleged crimes listed “represent the tip of the iceberg.” This is Harry’s third lawsuit in three years against Associated Newspapers, which owns the Daily Mail, the Mail on Sunday and MailOnline. He was awarded damages in 2021 over claims that he “turned his back” on the Royal Marines after stepping down as a senior royal. One case is ongoing, with a judge ruling recently that some reporting on his bid to pay for police protection was defamatory. Last December Meghan won her legal battle against Associated Newspapers over the publication of a letter she wrote to her estranged father Thomas Markle. In a statement, the Duchess of Sussex condemned a tabloid industry that “conditions people to be cruel,” and said, “This is a victory not just for me, but for anyone who has ever felt scared to stand up for what’s right.” Next up, Why Duchess Meghan and Princess Kate Wore Colorless Jewels to the Queen’s Funeral