This week marks an important time in the Duke of Sussex’s calendar as he will hear the outcome of his unlawful information gathering claim against newspaper publisher, Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN), in a High Court ruling.
Mr Justice Fancourt, the judge who oversaw a trial of the claims earlier this year, is expected to give his ruling on Friday.
Prince Harry, 39, sued MGN for damages, claiming journalists at their titles including the Daily and Sunday Mirror and Sunday People were linked to methods including phone hacking, gaining information by deception, and the use of private investigators for unlawful activities.
Other famous faces who brought forward similar claims at the court hearing this year included actress Nikki Sanderson, Coronation Street star Michael Le Vell, and comedian Paul Whitehouse’s ex-wife, Fiona Wightman.
The allegations span a period from as early as 1991 until at least 2011, the court heard.
The high-profile trial spanned seven weeks and concluded in June. Harry flew over from the US to spend eight hours of questioning in the witness box, over two days.
Evidence was also heard from dozens of witnesses, including former journalists, editors, private investigators, and MGN executives. Other witnesses, such as the family, friends, and colleagues of those bringing cases against the publisher, submitted written testimonies.
MGN largely contested the claims, although they did admit to a small number of unlawful activities in relation to Prince Harry’s case. The publisher apologised to the Duke and accepted they will be entitled to some damages.
Harry is expected to spend the festive season in California with his wife Meghan Markle and their two young children, Prince Archie, four, and Princess Lilibet, two. The Sussexes usually release an annual Christmas card, so fans are no doubt eagerly waiting to see what photo the family has chosen to showcase this year.
Meanwhile, King Charles and Queen Camilla are preparing to host the royal family’s traditional Christmas events. The monarch usually invites extended members of the royal family to a luncheon at Buckingham Palace in the week leading up to the 25th. It’s a chance for the King and Queen to celebrate the festive season with relatives they won’t see on Christmas Day itself, such as Zara and Mike Tindall and their children.
A more select group of royals, including the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Princess Royal, and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, then get together on Christmas Eve for a traditional dinner at Sandringham House, where they exchange low-key and often “jokey” gifts.
This year, King Charles is expected to extend the Christmas Day luncheon invite to his wife Camilla’s side of the family too, including her children and grandchildren – a first in royal history.
According to ITV’s royal editor Chris Ship, Christmas lunch will now reportedly be served in the larger ballroom of Sandringham House rather than the dining room, to accommodate the extra guests.
