Prince Harry today tried to drag the late queen’s most senior courtiers into his lawsuit against the publisher of The Sun.
The Duke of Sussex is demanding emails between News UK, publisher of the Sun, and Lord Christopher Geidt, Her Majesty’s private secretary until 2017, and his successor Sir Edward Young.
According to Harry’s lawyers, the courtiers held high-level talks with newspaper executives in 2017 about receiving compensation and an apology “to the entire Royal Household, including the Queen” for “unlawful activities,” including phone hacking.
The move threatens to further widen the rift between Harry and the king and his brother William. The Duke has previously claimed that William received compensation from the newspaper while he was cut out of a ‘secret’ deal.
Today, David Sherborne said on behalf of the Duke that emails showed the late Queen had personally agreed to threaten the publisher with legal action if it did not respond.
William and Harry arrive for the unveiling of a statue of Princess Diana at Kensington Palace in July 2021
Lord Christopher Geidt, private secretary to Queen Elizabeth II, at Sandringham in 2015
Sir Edward Young, private secretary to Queen Elizabeth II, at the Senedd in Cardiff in 2021
Mr Sherborne read out an email from Prince Harry to his brother William and palace aides that year urging them to support News UK, publisher of The Sun.
Harry said ‘it’s been a year since this started’ and the publisher ‘played us’ with his perceived lack of response. In a reference to his brother, Harry wrote: ‘W, do you agree?’
The publisher released a series of emails between palace officials and senior executives at the publisher, including Rebekah Brooks and Robert Thomson, both of whom served as CEOs.
Mr Sherborne said they showed there were discussions about the newspaper paying compensation and saying sorry to members of the royal family who had been hacked by journalists.
He said: ‘They are important. Here they say they will consider apologizing and providing compensation to the entire royal family, including the Queen.
‘That is something that is only addressed at the highest level, it was extremely sensitive.’
But he claimed the email exchange was “incomplete” and that there were “obviously” more emails that his client had not shown.
The duke is asking the court to order the publisher to further search his email database for messages with palace courtiers.
Prince Harry with his lawyer David Sherborne at the High Court in London in June 2023
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex with Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace in July 2018
Harry is one of two claimants suing the newspaper group, along with Labor colleague Lord Watson.
A further 39 claimants who were part of their legal action against the newspaper, including Spice Girl Melanie Brown, David Beckham’s father Ted, former WAG Louise Redknapp and Baroness Doreen Lawrence, have now all ‘recently’ settled.
It follows actor Hugh Grant who settled the case in April for what he called “a huge sum of money.”
Now the cases of Harry, 40, and former Labor deputy leader Lord Watson, 57, are the only ones still active, and a six- to eight-week trial will begin in January, although Mr Sherborne has previously said that this was probably the only one. Plaintiffs could be forced to settle because they could be left with huge legal bills if they reject a settlement offer, even if they win at trial.
Harry has previously claimed that a ‘secret deal’ was made behind his back by the palace and the publisher – a claim which the judge, Mr Justice Fancourt, dismissed as ‘improbable’ last year.
Lord Christopher Geidt is appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace in March 2014
Prince Harry with his father Charles at the Natural History Museum in London in April 2019
Harry’s lawyers claim that William settled a claim against the publisher ‘for a very large sum of money’ in 2020 as part of the so-called ‘secret agreement’.
The judge ruled last year that this showed the publisher was “willing to reach a settlement with Prince William rather than become embroiled in legal proceedings, as it did with the duke.”
The publisher has always rejected allegations of misconduct by The Sun employees.
Anthony Hudson KC, for the publisher, opposed Harry’s request to see more emails, saying the duke “has been aware of these types of emails for years.”
He said it was very “late in the day” to request further searches so close to the trial date, which would be “disproportionate, time-consuming and costly”.
He said the requested documents are “irrelevant” and “not necessary to ensure a fair trial.” He added: ‘This is not a legitimate request.’
The judge will consider the arguments before making a ruling.