Prince Harry tears up as he whines the media made Meghan Markle’s life an ‘absolute misery’
Prince Harry fought back tears on Wednesday as he complained in a London courtroom that relentless media attention had made his publicity-conscious wife Meghan Markle’s life an “absolute misery” — while firmly denying claims that he secretly fed information to reporters under the alias “Mr Mischief.”
The Duke of Sussex, 41, made the emotional remarks while giving evidence for nearly two hours in his privacy lawsuit against the Daily Mail and its sister publication, the Mail on Sunday.
“They have made my wife’s life an absolute misery,” the visibly emotional prince said, despite having published books and appeared in television documentaries that revealed intimate details about himself and Meghan following their highly publicized rift with the royal family.
Allegations Against the Publisher
Harry is one of seven high-profile figures — alongside Elton John and Elizabeth Hurley — who are suing publisher Associated Newspapers Ltd. They allege the company hacked voicemail messages, bugged landlines, and obtained private information through deception to generate stories.
The prince, who became the first royal in 130 years to testify in court during a separate lawsuit against the press, was at times confrontational as Associated’s barrister Antony White argued that the disputed articles were sourced lawfully.
Harry Pushes Back Against Claims of Media Friendships
During questioning, Harry rejected suggestions that he had friendly relationships with journalists who covered the royal family, or that his own social circle had leaked information to the tabloids.
“For the avoidance of doubt, I am not friends with any of these journalists and I never have been,” he said firmly, describing what he called a life of “24-hour surveillance.”
“My social circles were not leaky. I want to make that absolutely clear.”
He also dismissed accusations that he had used an anonymous Facebook account under the name “Mr Mischief” to exchange messages with Mail on Sunday reporter Charlotte Griffiths.
Harry insisted that he “would have to cut contact” with anyone he suspected of sharing information.
When White suggested that former Mail on Sunday royal editor Katie Nicholl was part of his social group, Harry responded: “If the sources were so good and she was hanging out with all my friends, then why was she using private investigators who have been connected to all the unlawful information gathering?”
A Forced Relationship With the Press
The duke acknowledged that he had spoken with reporters and tried to remain polite, but said he felt he had no real choice despite believing they had “commercialized my private life.”
“These are people we were forced to work with, you had to have some kind of relationship with them … knowing who they are, knowing full well the kind of stories they have written about me,” he told the court.
After disputing claims that journalists relied on legitimate sources, Harry appeared close to tears as he spoke about the emotional toll of life under constant scrutiny.
“I think it is fundamentally wrong to have to put all of us through this again when all we were asking for is an apology and some accountability,” he said from the witness stand, dressed in a dark suit.
“It is a horrible experience, and the worst of it is that by sitting up here and taking a stand against them … they continue to come after me.”
Publisher Rejects the Claims
Associated Newspapers Ltd. has dismissed the allegations as baseless, insisting that roughly 50 articles cited in the case were produced using lawful methods and legitimate sources — including close associates willing to speak about their famous friends.
The publisher is expected to identify those sources during the nine-week trial.
Harry’s lawsuit focuses on 14 articles that his legal team argues were the result of unlawful information gathering.
He has suggested that the personal details contained in those stories could only have come from intercepted phone calls or private investigators spying on him.
