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The Duke of Sussex has launched legal action against the owners of the Sun and the Daily Mirror over allegations his voicemail messages were illegally intercepted.
Buckingham Palace confirmed Prince Harry, 35, had filed papers at the High Court.
A royal source confirmed the duke filed claims ‘regarding the illegal interception of voicemail messages’ but could not comment further.
According to court documents, Harry’s lawyers, Clintons LLP, filed the claims on Friday September 27 – two days before wife Meghan took legal action following the publication of a letter to her estranged father Thomas Markle.
The move comes after Harry released a statement accusing media outlets of ‘relentless propaganda’ and ‘bullying’, saying he feared his Meghan, 38, has fallen victim to the ‘same powerful forces’ his mother Diana did before her death.
The Duke of Sussex has launched legal action against the owners of the Sun and the Daily Mirror over allegations his voicemail messages were illegally intercepted
It is not yet known when the duke’s allegations date from as the details of his claims have not yet been made public.
However, the BBC’s royal correspondent, Jonny Dymond, believes the claims relate to dates in the early 2000s.
It is believed that Harry may be alleging he was the victim of unlawful information gathering for the purpose of publishing articles about him, possibly dating back to when he had a mobile phone in his late teens.
News Group Newspapers, which owns The Sun, confirmed it is one of the companies to receive a claim.
A spokesperson said: ‘we confirm that a claim has been issued by the Duke of Sussex – we have no further comment to make at the current time’.
According to court documents, Harry’s lawyers, Clintons LLP, filed the claims on Friday September 27
The court documents – which emerged today – were first reported by website Byline Investigates
Prince Harry, 35, filed claims at the High Court, Buckingham Palace has confirmed
MGN limited, which owns the Daily Mirror, was revealed in court documents as the other company that has received a claim.
A source at Reach plc, which owns the Mirror, said they were aware that proceedings had been issued but had not yet received them, so they were unable to comment further.
The court documents – which emerged today – were first reported by website Byline Investigates.
Harry was one target in a phone-hacking scandal that prompted the closure of the News of the World paper in 2011.
It comes just days after Harry launched an attack on the press as they neared the end of a ten-day official tour of southern Africa.
The high profile overseas visit was overshadowed on the penultimate day when Harry, in a lengthy statement, accused the tabloid press of a ‘ruthless campaign’ against his wife, adding: ‘I lost my mother and now I watch my wife falling victim to the same powerful forces.’
The statement was released after the royal couple announced Meghan had decided to take legal action against the Mail on Sunday following publication of a letter to her estranged father Thomas Markle.
Harry is believed to have ignored the advice of some of his most senior aides over the timing of his statement, and not consulted his father the Prince of Wales or brother William.
Prince Harry was asked a question as he left the Mauwa Health Centre in Malawi on Tuesday
On Tuesday, Harry scolded a TV journalist for asking him a question during his visit to a health clinic in Malawi.
Sky News royal reporter Rhiannon Mills asked the Duke of Sussex an unscheduled question as he got into a car after a visit to the Mauwa Health Centre.
Harry had told a group of young people to ‘hold on to your dreams’ while talking to them as he visited the clinic during his ten-day tour of southern Africa.
But as he was being led away into a waiting vehicle by palace officials, Ms Mills asked him: ‘That short conversation, what do you hope to achieve through it?
He replied: ‘What? Ask them’, pointing back towards the hospital – but the reporter added: ‘Is that why it’s important for you to come and talk to them?’
Harry appeared to become frustrated with Ms Mills and gestured for her to move away from him as he got into the car, saying: ‘Rhiannon, don’t behave like this.’
The confrontation took place hours before the prince released the statement.
Sky News royal reporter Rhiannon Mills asked the Duke of Sussex the unscheduled question
In the statement he said: ‘Unfortunately, my wife has become one of the latest victims of a British tabloid press that wages campaigns against individuals with no thought to the consequences – a ruthless campaign that has escalated over the past year, throughout her pregnancy and while raising our newborn son.
‘There is a human cost to this relentless propaganda, specifically when it is knowingly false and malicious, and though we have continued to put on a brave face – as so many of you can relate to – I cannot begin to describe how painful it has been.
Sky News royal correspondent Rhiannon Mills, pictured in November 2017
‘Because in today’s digital age, press fabrications are repurposed as truth across the globe. One day’s coverage is no longer tomorrow’s chip-paper.’
Harry added: ‘My deepest fear is history repeating itself. I’ve seen what happens when someone I love is commoditised to the point that they are no longer treated or seen as a real person.
‘I lost my mother and now I watch my wife falling victim to the same powerful forces.’
The Duke of Sussex added he has been ‘witness to her private suffering for too long’ and ‘to stand back and do nothing would be contrary to everything we believe in’.
During Harry’s visit to the clinic in Malawi, he sat down for a private chat with the teenagers, after learning about the work of medical staff and other employees at the clinic.
Sitting outside but under cover from the searing sun, the discussion was supposed to be about sexual health but also touched on other topics the duke is passionate about, including climate change and conservation.
The Duke of Sussex added he has been ‘witness to her private suffering for too long’ and ‘to stand back and do nothing would be contrary to everything we believe in’
A health official said: ‘They asked him what challenges he faced when growing up and he did have challenges but he said they were not similar as the context was different.
‘He told the young people to ‘hold on to your dreams’ and he urged them to show kindness, empathy and work together.’
Harry had travelled to the village of Blantyre to see an innovative project funded by the US and UK Governments which is ensuring that vaccines, drugs and other treatments are more readily available.
The duke embarked on a ten-day tour of southern Africa with wife Meghan and their son Archie.
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