Latest hearing in Harry’s claim against Mail publisher to be held at High Court

Harry is among a group of high-profile individuals, including Baroness Doreen Lawrence, Sir Elton John, his husband David Furnish, actresses Sadie Frost and Liz Hurley, and politician Sir Simon Hughes, bringing legal action against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL).

They have accused the publisher of allegedly carrying out or commissioning unlawful activities such as hiring private investigators to place listening devices inside cars, “blagging” private records, burglaries to order and accessing and recording private phone conversations.

ANL firmly denies the allegations and is defending the legal action, claiming the allegations are “lurid” and “simply preposterous”.

The hearing before Mr Justice Nicklin is expected to begin on Tuesday and is due to last two days.

It is expected to deal with several preliminary issues in the claims, with no findings yet made in respect of the allegations.

Harry made a surprise appearance at the Royal Courts of Justice in London for a hearing in March last year, where his lawyers argued that those bringing legal action were “thrown off the scent” and not aware of being targeted, having believed “categorical denials” from ANL over any involvement in unlawful activity.

ANL had asked Mr Justice Nicklin to rule in its favour without a trial, arguing the claims were brought “far too late”.

In a ruling last November, the judge said the publisher had failed to deliver a “knockout blow” to the challenges, allowing them to continue.

In March this year, Government ministers ruled that confidential documents from the Leveson Inquiry relating to Daily Mail records of payments to private investigators could be disclosed in the duke’s claim, after changing restrictions on the documents put in place during the inquiry.

Then culture secretary Lucy Frazer and then home secretary James Cleverly said in a joint statement that they had altered the restrictions “for the purposes of the legal proceedings” as the “public interest in promoting the just, speedy and economic resolution of the proceedings outweighs the countervailing public interests”.

The hearing is due to begin at 10.30am at the Royal Courts of Justice.