Prince Harry admits he made ‘stupid decision’ at fancy dress party

Prince Harry today claimed reports of a ‘tongue whip’ he received from his ex Chelsy Davy for ‘flirting with a brunette’ at a party was obtained through hacking – but denied that she ‘went crazy’ after visiting Spearmint Rhino.

The Duke of Sussex, 38, claims the Mirror must have used hacking as it reported that Ms Davey “was furious and had given me a ‘tongue-tapping phone’ over allegations I had flirted with a brunette”.

The duke told the Supreme Court, “How could the defendant’s journalists know about this?”

In his statement to the Supreme Court, he said, “It was a challenging period for me. I had been immature, I hadn’t really thought about my actions and I had made a stupid decision.’

But he complained about the actions of the press, saying, “My mistakes were played out in public.”

Giving evidence today, Harry recalled another incident in 2006 when he visited a Spearmint Rhino club with fellow Sandhurst cadets.

A story in The People in April 2006 said Miss Davy had gone ‘crazy’ and slammed the phone down on Harry while going out.

But Harry told the Supreme Court, “As far as I can remember, I don’t think Chelsy got mad because I went there.

“We talked about it over the phone, but I promised her I hadn’t had a lap dance and stayed with the three other cadets who had girlfriends.

“The details about the timing and duration of the talks are so specific.

“In hindsight, it seems likely to me that the defendant’s journalists had access to one of our phone records and put two and two together to make a story.”

In his statement to the Supreme Court today, Harry said: ‘It was a challenging period for me. I had been immature, I hadn’t really thought about my actions and I had made a stupid decision’

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The duke said the article in question was headlined ‘Chel shocked’ and had a ‘large picture of Chelsy looking unhappy, along with a small picture of me with my hand over my mouth’.

The Duke testified today in his individual case against MGN alleging unlawful information gathering.

Harry is suing Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) for damages, alleging that journalists at their titles, including the Sunday Mirror and Sunday People, have been associated with methods such as phone hacking, so-called ‘blagging’ or information gathering by deception, and the use of private investigators for unlawful activities.

He claims that about 140 articles published between 1996 and 2010 contained information gathered using unlawful methods, and 33 of those were selected for consideration at trial.

MGN disputes the claims and has denied or denied all of them.

The publisher also argues that some of the plaintiffs have taken legal action too late.

While testifying today, Harry ranted about the “state of our press and our government – both of which I think are at an all-time low.”

And in one of his most outspoken attacks on the British press yet, Harry demanded, “How much more blood will their typing fingers stain before anyone can put an end to this madness?”

Spearmint rhinoceros