Prince Harry is one of seven high-profile claimants bringing a so-called “super claim” against the publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday, alleging unlawful information gathering including mobile phone voicemail hacking, landline tapping and the use of deception, known as “blagging”, to obtain private details.
Associated Newspapers has strongly denied the claims, previously dismissing them as “lurid” and “simply preposterous”.
A source close to the duke said he was mentally prepared for the legal battle as he returned to Britain. Speaking to The Telegraph, the source said: “Confident and ready are the words I’d use to describe his current state of mind.” They added that Harry felt “fortunate” to have the financial means to pursue the case and was “not scared” to do so.
The 41-year-old is not expected to make any public appearances outside court and is likely to be the first claimant to give evidence later this week in Court 76 of the High Court. The trial is expected to last nine weeks, with total legal costs estimated at around £40 million.
Harry is joined in the case by several other well-known figures, including Sir Elton John and his husband David Furnish, actress Sadie Frost, and Baroness Lawrence of Clarendon. However, the case has already been overshadowed by controversy surrounding witness evidence.
Gavin Burrows, a private investigator whose testimony forms a key part of the claimants’ case, submitted a statement via Harry’s legal team in which he appeared to acknowledge that a previous document alleging he had carried out unlawful activities on behalf of Associated Newspapers was “forged”. Burrows stated that he was never instructed by the Daily Mail or Mail on Sunday to engage in illegal information gathering.
The court also heard of an alleged attempt to intimidate Burrows shortly before the trial. Andrew White, representing the defence, said the investigator received an email from a journalist at the Byline Times indicating it was preparing to publish a story about him, describing the contact as a “blatant attempt to intimidate” a witness.
Barrister David Sherborne, who is representing the claimants, has asked all seven to attend the opening day of proceedings as a “show of strength”. Prince Harry flew into the UK in time to join them.
The duke is not expected to meet the King during his visit. King Charles will be undertaking official engagements at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh on Monday, while Harry attends court in London. It is understood the monarch will avoid contact during active legal proceedings to prevent any perception of involvement.
The Prince and Princess of Wales are also scheduled to carry out engagements in Scotland this week, while the Queen has several public appearances planned.
Harry’s legal action is the latest in a series of court cases he has pursued against the press and public bodies. In May 2025, he lost a challenge against the Home Office over the removal of his UK police protection after stepping back from royal duties in 2020. Following that ruling, he described the process as an “establishment stitch-up”, although a subsequent review of his security arrangements is ongoing.
The duke has previously said he does not feel the UK is safe for visits with his wife Meghan, 44, and their children Archie, six, and Lilibet, four. King Charles has not seen his grandchildren since June 2022, when the Sussexes returned for Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee.
Harry is travelling without Meghan, who posted a black-and-white video on social media at the weekend showing the couple dancing barefoot on a lawn. The clip, filmed by their daughter Lilibet, was shared alongside a decade-old photograph of the couple in Botswana as part of an online “throwback” trend.
