Prince Harry has said his relationship with ex-girlfriend Natalie Pinkham broke down due to his distrust, which the duke alleged came from the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday publishing “knowingly false” information.
The royal spoke from the witness stand at the High Court today, providing evidence from 11:30am.
In regard to his relationship with Ms Pinkham, the Duke of Sussex explained that the publication’s information led to him “not speaking to [Ms Pinkham] for years”, due to losing trust in what was true.
He said in his witness statement: “It is disturbing to feel that my every move, thought or feeling was being tracked and monitored just for the Mail to make money out of it.
Harry said his relationship with his ex-girlfriend Natalie Pinkham broke down due to distrust.
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PA
“And that knowingly false information was added to their stories in order to put me off the scent.”
He continued: “It seemed as though someone was leaking these stories, but I now believe that it will have come from listening in to our communications, voicemail interception and/or blagging.”
Associate Newspapers Limited’s (ANL) barrister, Antony White KC, told the court yesterday that ANL “strongly denies” that there was any unlawful information gathering.
Mr White said in written submissions that the articles in the case “were sourced entirely legitimately from information variously provided by contacts of the journalists responsible, including individuals in the Duke of Sussex’s social circle, press officers and publicists, freelance journalists, photographers and prior reports”.
Harry believes his information was obtained, ‘from listening in to our communications’
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REUTERSHe added: “At all material times, the Duke of Sussex’s social circle was and was known to be a good source of leaks or disclosure of information to the media about what he got up to in his private life.”
Mr White later said that Harry also discussed his private life in the media, and that Palace spokespeople also provided information about his life.
The ANL’s barrister asked the prince why he didn’t complain about certain articles when they were published. Again, Prince Harry references the institution, meaning the Royal Family.
“I wasn’t allowed to complain”, he said.
Prince Harry and Natalie Pinkham in 2014, with the pair not speaking to each other for years.
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PAAn article from 2002 about his friendship with Ms Pinkham, published by Mail on Sunday journalist Katie Nicholl, came under question.
Mr White said the information inside it came from Ms Pinkham herself, following a phone call with the journalist.
Harry said: “I strongly reject that”, arguing Ms Pinkham knew who Ms Nicholl was, and while a conversation over the phone unfolded, she did not give her any lines for a story.
The duke accuses the journalist of “inventing quotes for the narrative” and continues to strongly deny that Ms Pinkham and Ms Nicholl had a good relationship.
Harry ‘strongly rejects’ Ms Pinkham knew exactly who the Daily Mail journalist was.
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PAHe said: “I believe that Natalie Pinkham’s number was obtained unlawfully through UIG [unlawful information gathering].”
The Duke of Sussex has said he “can’t believe for a second” that if journalists for ANL saw rival reporters using UIG, then they would not do the same.
Speaking about a wedding in Jamaica, where he said two journalists from The Sun had checked into a hotel two days before he arrived, he said: “I would certainly assume that the knowledge of us going to this wedding was found through UIG.
“I can’t believe for a second that if your competitor is using UIG, then you would not too, to beat them to the punch.”
The duke stated that he would “cut communication” with friends he suspected were sharing information with the press, but he denied that his social circle was “leaky”.
The case is expected to run until March, after which a written judgment will be delivered at a subsequent date.
