Prince Harry made a statement against the British press and government when he took the stand in his lawsuit against the Daily Mirror tabloid on June 6. “Our country is judged globally by the state of our press and government – both of which I believe are at rock bottom,” Harry said when he testified in court. His appearance on the stand was quite historic, as it marked the first time that a senior royal testified in court in more than 130 years.
He continued, “Democracy fails when your press fails to scrutinize and hold the Government accountable, and instead choose to get in bed with them so they can ensure the status quo.” Harry is accusing the Daily Mirror of obtaining information about him through unlawful methods, including phone hacking. His blatant statement against the UK government is unprecedented, as royals have made it a point to stay out of politics over the years.
“How much more blood will stain [journalists’] typing fingers before someone can put a stop to this madness?” Harry wondered in court. He also referenced his mother, Princess Diana, during his testimony, adding, “I’ve always heard people refer to my mother as paranoid, but she wasn’t. She was fearful of what was actually happening to her and now I know I was the same.” Harry also said that many articles written about him ended up playing a “destructive role” in his childhood and adolescence, but was unable to give any specific examples, according to CNN. “Because it’s 20 years ago, I can’t speculate,” Harry explained.
Since stepping down from his senior royal duties at the beginning of 2020, Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, have publicly taken a stand against the press and royal family. In their 2022 docu-series, they dove deep into their accusations that the royal family did not protect Meghan from negative and harmful stories written about her amidst her relationship with Harry. After leaving life in the UK, Meghan and Harry relocated to California, where they live now with their two children. However, Harry returned to the UK for his testimony.