Britain's Prince Harry felt “physically sick” over eight payments to private investigators related to his late mother Diana, Princess of Wales, London's High Court has been told as he began his evidence.
Harry is suing Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) for damages, claiming journalists at its titles, which also include the Sunday Mirror and Sunday People, were linked to methods including phone hacking, so-called “blagging” or gaining information by deception, and use of private investigators for unlawful activities.
The prince arrived on Tuesday at the Rolls Building, which was surrounded by journalists and a heavy police presence.
He entered the witness box of Court 15 shortly after 10.30am, swearing on a bible ahead of his cross-examination by MGN’s barrister.
In his witness statement for the case, Harry said he was “shocked and appalled” by the number of payments made by MGN titles to private investigators.
Harry added: “I now realise that my acute paranoia of being constantly under surveillance was not misplaced after all.
“I was upset to discover the amount of suspicious call data and the 13 private investigator payments for Chelsy (Davy, his ex-girlfriend).
“Had she not been in a relationship with me, she would never have had to endure such a horrific experience at the hands of MGN’s journalists.
“There are even eight private investigator payments made in relation to my mother, which I have only learnt of since bringing my claim.
“This makes me feel physically sick.”
