By Michael Holden
LONDON (Reuters) – Prince Harry could be questioned for four days in the witness box by lawyers for Rupert Murdoch’s News Group Newspapers (NGN) when his lawsuit against the publisher goes to trial next month, according to the High Court London on Tuesday.
King Charles’ youngest son is suing NGN over alleged illegal activities carried out by journalists and private investigators who worked for its newspapers, the Sun and the defunct News of the World, from 1996 to 2011.
Last month, Harry’s lawyer told the court that his case would go to trial in January alongside another litigant – former Labor deputy leader Tom Watson – after around 40 other claimants settled.
At the start of a hearing on Tuesday to finalize details of the eight-week trial, Anthony Hudson (NYSE: ), NGN’s lawyer, said it would take four days to cross-examine the prince about the 30 articles he says , were based on illegally obtained information.
Hudson also said the issue of when Harry, Duke of Sussex, knew he had an affair would “require extensive cross-examination” as it is part of NGN’s case that the prince brought his case too late.
Harry’s lawyer, David Sherborne, said that while his client would “enjoy” four days giving evidence against NGN, a day and a half would be enough.
The trial will examine the specific claims of the fifth in line to the throne and Watson, as well as general allegations of wrongdoing by NGN staff, including publishers and other senior executives.
NGN has paid hundreds of millions of pounds to victims of phone hacking and other illegal information collected by the News of the World and settled claims made by more than 1,300 people.
But he has always rejected allegations of any wrongdoing by Sun staff, and no cases have previously been brought to trial.
“I think one of the reasons I made the claim… is specifically for truth and accountability,” Harry told the New York Times (NYSE: ) Dealbook Summit last week.
Hudson said those words showed Harry wanted to turn the trial into a public inquiry.
It will be Harry’s second time in the witness box at the High Court after becoming the first British monarch for 130 years to give evidence in June 2023 as part of his successful case against Mirror Group Newspapers.
He received “significant” damages after a court ruled that his phones had been hacked with the knowledge of senior editors and executives at Mirror Group Newspapers.
In addition to the NGN lawsuit, Harry is also suing Associated Newspapers, the publisher of the Daily Mail, for phone hacking and other illegal activities along with singer Elton John and five others. That case is set to go to trial in early 2026.