Prince Harry, in his ongoing High Court hacking case, testified that he is familiar with journalist Omid Scobie, who co-authored his unofficial biography and has been sharing pictures from a trip to California, where the Duke and his family currently reside.
The Duke of Sussex is suing Mirror Group newspapers, which include the Daily and Sunday Mirror and Sunday People, for damages, alleging that journalists at these publications engaged in phone hacking, blagging (gaining information through deception), and employed private investigators for illicit activities.
During the second day of Harry’s testimony, he was questioned about his relationship with Mr. Scobie.
Mr. Scobie, Bazaar.com’s royal editor-at-large, co-wrote the book “Finding Freedom” in 2020, which delves into the lives of Harry and his wife, Meghan.
It is believed that Mr. Scobie shares a close bond with the Sussexes, although it remains unclear whether he has visited the couple at their £12 million mansion in Montecito.
In court, MGM’s barrister, Andrew Green KC, referred to Mr. Scobie while cross-examining Harry, highlighting the importance of sources in royal reporting.
Mr. Green then asked Harry if he knew Mr. Omid Scobie, to which the Duke confirmed his acquaintance.
The controversy surrounding Mr. Scobie’s comments was not addressed by Mr. Green during the hearing.
However, an article published in the Eye newspaper in August 2020 quoted Mr. Scobie discussing the significance of anonymous sources in reporting on the royal family and celebrities.
According to the book “Finding Freedom,” Mr. Scobie and co-author Caroline Durand conducted interviews with over 100 sources, including close friends of Harry and Meghan, royal aides, and current and former palace staff.
Recently, Mr. Scobie posted pictures from a trip to California on his Instagram account, suggesting that he may have been in the area.
It is worth noting that the journalist previously claimed to have been taught voicemail hacking techniques during his work experience at MGM’s Sunday People.
He also alleged that while working at its sister paper, The Daily Mirror, he overheard the then-editor Piers Morgan being informed that information for a story about pop star Kylie Minogue had come from voicemail interception.
During his testimony at the High Court, Mr. Scobie emphasized that he is not a friend, mouthpiece, cheerleader, or fan of the Sussexes.
During cross-examination, Scobie was asked if he had a vested interest in supporting Prince Harry, to which he denied and expressed that his appearance in court has only fueled tabloid speculation and made his life more challenging.
He further stated that he does not possess Harry’s phone number and refuted claims of being described as a cheerleader for the Sussexes, despite evidence to the contrary in his book “Finding Freedom.”
In the book, Mr. Scobie mentioned an incident where Meghan hugged him after completing their final royal engagement, saying, “It didn’t have to be this way.”
He also mentioned having drinks with Harry.
Moreover, it has been revealed that Jason North, who gained recognition for exposing Meghan during her privacy court case, possesses emails supporting the notion that Omid received information second-hand.
However, it is important to note that the Sussexes themselves wanted this information to be disclosed.
Prior to the public’s knowledge, Harry and Meghan were discreet in how they shared information, communicating with Jason via email, who then passed on the details to Omid.
In one email, Harry even remarked, “We have to be able to say we didn’t have anything to do with it.”
The ongoing High Court case continues to unravel the complexities surrounding Prince Harry’s allegations against Mirror Group newspapers.