Prince Harry Set to Testify in Court After Missing 1st Day of Phone Hacking Trial for Lilibet’s Birthday

usmagazine.com:

Prince Harry is making waves in court before he is even set to take the stand in his trial against the publisher of the Daily Mirror.According to the Associated Press, the 38-year-old prince’s lawyer David Sherborne explained that Harry wasn’t available for the opening statements on Monday, June 5, because he was flying to the U.K.

from Los Angeles after celebrating daughter Lilibet’s 2nd birthday on Sunday, June 4. Judge Timothy Fancourt told the attorney that he was “a little surprised” by Harry’s absence as he was expected to be in court on Monday in case the opening statements were wrapped before the end of the session.“He is in a different category from the three other claimants due to his travel and security arrangements,” Sherborne said, adding that his client is prepared to testify on Tuesday, June 6.The Mirror’s legal team subsequently accused Harry of “wasting” the court’s time, referring to his absence as “absolutely extraordinary.” Lawyer Andrew Green added that he was “deeply troubled” by Harry not showing up on Monday.Harry and wife Meghan Markle, who also share son Archie, 4, relocated to America in 2020 after stepping down from their jobs as working members of the royal family.

The couple have been very vocal about how issues with the British press impacted their decision to distance themselves from the U.K., with Harry alleging that the Mirror Group illegally obtained information via phone hacking to write stories about him over the years.“The ends justify the means for the defendant,” Sherborne said in court on Monday, per the AP. “There was no time in his life when he was safe from these activities.