Prince Harry was observed becoming visibly emotional during his court appearance at the Royal Courts of Justice in central London today, January 21, 2026. The Duke of Sussex is pursuing a legal case against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL), the publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday, over serious allegations of unlawful information gathering.
Emotional Testimony in the Witness Box
Throughout the day, Prince Harry provided detailed evidence to the court and faced questioning from barrister Antony White KC. The royal described the experience of revisiting these matters as profoundly difficult, stating he felt "not great" hearing the stories repeatedly and characterising it as a "recurring traumatic experience."
Allegations of Systematic Privacy Invasion
Harry elaborated on his claims, alleging that his private life has been commercialised since his teenage years. He accused newspapers of delving into every aspect of his personal affairs, including listening to private calls and blagging flight information to track his movements. "It was a time then when everybody was in competition with each other," he told the court, highlighting what he perceives as a culture of intrusive journalism.
The Duke expressed particular distress at the defence's position, stating: "To sit here and go through this all over again and have them give their own defence and claim that I don't have any right to any privacy is disgusting." He further testified that his situation has "only got worse, not better" over the course of his life.
Focus on Meghan Markle's Experience
Prince Harry became especially emotional when discussing the impact on his wife, Meghan Markle. With his voice reportedly breaking, he told the court that the worst aspect of giving evidence was knowing that ANL had "made my wife's life an absolute misery." This statement marked a particularly poignant moment during the proceedings before his testimony concluded and he left the courtroom.
Legal Context and Proceedings
The case represents a significant legal confrontation between the royal and one of Britain's major newspaper publishers. The allegations centre on methods of information gathering that Harry claims violated his privacy rights over many years. The emotional nature of today's testimony underscores the personal stakes involved for the Duke of Sussex as he seeks legal redress for what he describes as systematic invasions of privacy affecting both himself and his family.
