By Paurush Omar/Hindustan Times imes
In a surprising turn of events, Princess Diana’s brother, Charles Spencer, has publicly supported his nephew, Prince Harry, as he faces Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) in court.
The Duke of Sussex is seeking damages, accusing the media outlet of unethical practices, including phone hacking and the use of private investigators. While the rest of the royal family remains silent on the matter, Charles Spencer took to Twitter to defend his nephew against criticism from columnist Amanda Platell.
Responding to Platell’s tweet questioning Harry’s alleged obsession with his former love, Chelsy Davy, Charles didn’t hold back. He criticized Platell’s lack of credibility and accused her of misrepresenting significant legal evidence as trivial. Charles firmly stood by his nephew, countering the columnist’s claims.
When asked to clarify the “significant evidence” provided by Harry, Charles pointed to the substantial amounts paid out by the Daily Mirror group to hacking victims. It was a clear message that the media outlet had engaged in unlawful activities. The Mirror Group maintains that their reporting was based on legal sources and public statements.
This lawsuit against the Mirror Group is just one of several legal battles Prince Harry has embarked upon against tabloid publishers. During his recent court appearance, he became the highest-ranking member of the royal family to be cross-examined since the 1890s. Harry expressed his distress over stories that seemed to celebrate his break-up with Chelsy Davy, rather than showing sympathy for his personal struggles.
The exiled royal revealed the hurt he experienced when seeing headlines like “Hooray Harry is Dumped” and expressed his concern over the surveillance he endured. The reference to payments as “Project Harry” disturbed him deeply. Lawyer Andrew Green KC questioned Harry’s interpretation of the phrase, but the prince reiterated that the use of such language was hurtful and insensitive.