Published 19:27 IST, October 5th 2019
Prince Harry to sue 2 British tabloids over alleged phone hacking
Prince Harry to sue 2 British tabloids over alleged phone hacking following the earlier suing of another tabloid over derogatory portrayal of Meghan's letter.
- World News
- 3 min read
Prince Harry will reportedly sue two UK tabloids for allegedly hacking his phone, reported media. The media publications drawn into the allegations are the Sun and the Daily Mirror. On October 4, Buckingham Palace confirmed that claims have been filed on behalf of the Duke against News UK (owner of The Sun) and MGN (former owner of The Mirror) at the High Court due to alleged illegal interception of voicemail messages. The incident follows Harry's support for Meghan against the derogatory interpretation of her letters in British media. Prince Harry issued a strong statement in defense of his wife describing the media's portrayal as "ruthless" treatment. Harry, who seemed to be at his candid best, spoke about the "bullying" Meghan has received.
"Unfortunately, my wife has become one of the latest victims of a British tabloid press that wages campaigns against individuals with no thought to the consequences -- a ruthless campaign that has escalated over the past year, throughout her pregnancy and while raising our newborn son," the royal said. Harry went on to say that he and his wife have "continued to put on a brave face - as so many of you can relate to - I cannot begin to describe how painful it has been."
Meghan's legal action against UK newspaper
On Sunday, the royal couple launched legal action against the Mail in the UK. The civil lawsuit accused the Mail of copyright infringement, misuse of private information and violating the U.K”s data protection law with the “intrusive” publication of the letter, a spokeswoman for Schillings, the law firm handling the case, said. Prince Harry accused the Mail on Sunday of editing the letter in “an intentionally destructive manner” to “manipulate” readers with an unflattering portrayal of his wife. Yet the newspaper denied playing around with the letter.
A legal spokesperson from Schillings representing Meghan, said, "We have initiated legal proceedings against the Mail on Sunday, and its parent company Associated Newspapers, over the intrusive and unlawful publication of a private letter written by the Duchess of Sussex, which is part of a campaign by this media group to publish false and deliberately derogatory stories about her, as well as her husband".
Harry stands for Meghan
In the statement posted on the couple’s royal website, Harry added that he has been "a silent witness to her private suffering for too long. To stand back and do nothing would be contrary to everything we believe in". The duke gave a moving speech to the gathering in Tembisa, a township near Johannesburg in South Africa saying that he and Meghan will strongly stand up for what they believe in. He further said that they are fortunate enough to have a position that gives then amazing opportunities and that they will do everything that they can to play their part in building a better world. In his concluding sentence, Harry said that he will seek to challenge injustice and to speak out for those who may feel unheard.
(With inputs from ANI)
Updated 19:48 IST, October 5th 2019