Harry Arrives - And He’s Serious

The people at Sky News were taken by surprise this morning. “This man is serious … no-one expected this to happen … Prince Harry arriving at the Royal Courts of Justice today in his court case against the Daily Mail … [we] thought he was on the west coast of the United States with his family [but] that is not the case … you can tell he’s serious about this”. Serious, right?

Evening all ((c) BBC)

Reuters had a little more. “Britain's Prince Harry arrives at London's High Court for a hearing against the publisher of the Daily Mail newspaper over alleged phone-tapping and other breaches of privacy”. Phone hacking. That’s the phone hacking that the legendarily foul mouthed Paul Dacre assured the Leveson Inquiry did not happen at the Mail titles. Under oath.

And the Mail on Sunday is now in the frame for the same allegation, as ITV News told last week. “Glenn Mulcaire was jailed for phone hacking on behalf of News of The World. He's claimed The Mail on Sunday also paid for his information - something it denies”. Mulcaire was unequivocal.

“The public perception that my services were only used only by News International - is not the case. As my services and skills were used by other papers, such as the Mail on Sunday”. The ITV report notes “Associated Newspapers have always insisted they never employed the so-called ‘dark arts’ of their rivals … At the Leveson Inquiry the then editor of the Daily Mail, Paul Dacre, said so under oath”. ITV News has seen the evidence trail.

You haven’t heard this news before? But it’s been out there since July 2020, when Byline Investigates told readers “Private investigator Glenn Mulcaire reveals how he hacked ex-Lib Dem MP Simon Hughes for the Mail on Sunday”. The power of our free and fearless press, once more, stems not only from what they publish, but what they do not. Hence you haven’t heard.

But now Harry has rocked up at the High Court, that genie can no longer be kept in its bottle. So now the BBC is reporting on his arrival. “The Duke of Sussex has unexpectedly appeared at the High Court as legal proceedings begin in a privacy case. Prince Harry and other individuals are suing Associated Newspapers Ltd (ANL), publishers of the Daily Mail”. Do go on.

“The duke, singer Sir Elton John and actresses Sadie Frost and Liz Hurley are among the individuals who allege unlawful information gathering … A four-day preliminary High Court hearing in London, starting on Monday, will consider legal arguments and a judge will decide whether the case will go any further. ANL is bidding to end the claims”. I’ll bet it is. And there is more.

Who called me a f***ing liar, c***?!?!?

“Others taking part in the legal action include Sir Elton's husband David Furnish, and Doreen Lawrence, the mother of Stephen Lawrence … The group launched the legal action last year after becoming aware of ‘compelling and highly distressing evidence that they have been the victims of abhorrent criminal activity and gross breaches of privacy’”. Such as?

“The payment of police officials, with corrupt links to private investigators, for inside, sensitive information … The impersonation of individuals to obtain medical information from private hospitals, clinics, and treatment centres by deception … The accessing of bank accounts, credit histories and financial transactions through illicit means and manipulation”. And phone hacking.

This should surprise no-one familiar with Nick Davies’ Flat Earth News, where he recounts a reporter telling him “If the Mail go for you, they get every phone number you have dialled, every school-mate, everything on your credit card, every call from your phone and from your mobile. Everything”. Getting that information means crossing the illegality line. And the Mail has previous.

As Davies also told, there were allegations that the Mail titles bribed both serving Police officers, and also Civil Servants. That was known back in 2012. But, once more, the Mail and its cheerleaders in the media and political establishment kept the lid on the story. Now, with Haz’ appearance this morning, that lid is more likely to be prised off sooner or later.

For that we should be grateful, and all those who have suffered at the hands of the Mail titles over the years will certainly be. If you wondered why the inhabitants of the Northcliffe House bunker published so much knocking copy aimed at Haz and Megs recently, now you know. That assault has not deterred either of them: the Mail titles are looking Nemesis in the face.

Another little Wild West Show may be coming to an end. Good thing too.

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