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NEED TO KNOW
Prince Harry had a brief response when asked about his first day in court on Jan. 19
The Duke of Sussex is back in London this week for the start of his trial against a major British publisher
Ahead of the trial, Harry's spokesperson told PEOPLE he was feeling "confident and ready" for the upcoming proceedings, in which he is expected to present evidence
Prince Harrywas back in the U.K. this week for what could be the final legal step in his lengthy battle against a major British publisher.
The trial, in which the Duke of Sussex and other high-profile claimants are suing Associated Newspapers over allegations of illegal information gathering, kicked off on Monday, Jan. 19, at London's High Court. The media group, which publishes theDaily Mail,The Mail on SundayandMail Online,has "vigorously denied" the claims, according to theBBC.
Cameras were waiting for Harry, 41, as he left court on Monday, andhe gave a three-word responsewhen asked how the first day of proceedings had gone.
"Good, very good," he said.
Ahead of the trial, the prince's spokesperson told PEOPLE that Harry was "feeling confident and ready" for the next stage of his lawsuit. The trial is expected to last for nine weeks.
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Other high-profile claimants in the Associated Newspapers case includeElton John,Elizabeth HurleyandJude Law's ex-wife,Sadie Frost.
The claimants' lawyer, David Sherborne, said in a written submission that Prince Harry's claims are based on 14 articles published between 2001 and 2013, which had a "profoundly distressing effect" on the Duke of Sussex and made him "paranoid beyond belief."
According to a draft trial timetable made public last week, Prince Harry is expected to take the stand to present evidence on Thursday, Jan. 22. It will be the second time Prince Harry has given evidence in a court case in the past three years — he became the first senior British royal to give evidence in 130 years, in a 2023 phone-hacking case against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN).
The Duke of Sussex won"substantial" damagesfrom the Mirror Group following his lengthy 2023 trial and is hoping for a similar outcome in this case, vowing to see through his latest fight for privacy against the invasive U.K. media.
At the time, Sherborne read a statement on his behalf, which said, "Our mission continues. I believe in the positive change it will bring for all of us. It is the very reason why I started this, and why I will continue to see it through to the end."
Prince Harrymay soon get good newsin another major battle: his request to reinstate his taxpayer-funded security detail when he and his family visit the U.K.
Insiders told PEOPLE earlier this month that they were seeing "positive" indicators from the government.They said at the timethat they were cautiously optimistic thatthe decisionnot to grant Harry security would be reversed and his cover would be upgraded.
It's thought that this could open the door for Harry, wifeMeghan Markle, 44, and their children —Prince Archie, 6, andPrincess Lilibet, 4 — to visit the U.K. more often. The younger child ofKing Charleshas repeatedly said that, without security cover, he didn'tfeel safebringing his family back to his home country.
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No royal family reunionsare expectedduring this trip, however.
King Charlesattended a receptionat the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Scotland as Harry stepped out in London on Monday, and there has been no indication that the father and son — who took a major step last September with theirfirst in-person meetingin 18 months — will see each other while Harry is in the U.K.
Prince WilliamandKate Middletonare also in Scotland this week for a day of engagements. They will meet with Great Britain's Olympic and Paralympic curling teams ahead of the upcoming Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games, as well as visitRadical Weavers, a working handweaving studio and therapeutic charity, on Jan. 20.
Read the original article onPeople
