Prince Harry has accused the British press of intruding on his personal life and causing the breakdown of his relationship with Chelsea Davy.
The Duke of Sussex made this claim during a lawsuit against Mirror Group Newspapers, where he and other celebrities are expected to provide evidence over a period of six to ten weeks.
The lawsuit alleges that MGM intercepted private voicemails, a charge that the company denies.
In his witness statement, Prince Harry stated that Davy decided that a royal life was not for her due to the relentless harassment they faced, which posed significant challenges to their relationship.
From 2004 to 2010, Harry and Davy had an on-off long-distance relationship while he served in the British Army and she attended university in South Africa.
Prince Harry listed several unlawful activities in the lawsuit, including unauthorized access to their voicemails.
He emphasized the distress caused by these intrusions, not only to himself but also to those around him, as they raised serious safety concerns.
The constant invasion of privacy also led to a heightened sense of paranoia in his relationships.
During the trial, David Sherbourne, the barrister representing the alleged victims, referred to Prince Harry’s witness statement.
He explained that whenever Harry was in a relationship or even rumored to be, the entire family and often friends of the person involved would be dragged into the chaos.
This resulted in unlawful actions by MGM.
According to Harry, no place was off-limits for the company’s journalists, as they even booked into the same hotel in Mozambique where he and Davy sought peace and quiet.
Harry’s legal team further claimed that his mobile phone number was recorded in the handheld device of Nick Buckley, the former news boss of the Sunday Mirror.
In June, the 38-year-old prince is expected to testify about unwittingly experiencing voicemail interception in relation to 30 people he was close to.
This will mark the first time in modern history that a senior royal has appeared as a witness in court.
The transcript also sheds light on Prince Harry’s past relationships and Meghan Markle’s alleged jealousy towards Chelsea Davy.
Palace sources have claimed that Meghan was not comfortable with Harry maintaining contact with his exes after their wedding in 2018.
The sources suggest that Meghan’s jealousy stemmed from her belief that Harry was still in love with Davy.
However, Harry reassured her that he had no interest in other women.
Chelsea Davy was Harry’s first love, and they dated from 2004 to 2011.
He then entered a relationship with Chrissy DeBonis, which lasted until 2014.
Interestingly, both Davy and DeBonis attended Harry and Meghan’s wedding at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle.
In a previous interview with the Sunday Times, Davy expressed that she believed they would always be good friends.
Prince Harry’s memoir, “Spare,” reveals that during his military service, he had limited time to contact his loved ones.
Despite having only 30 minutes each week, he often chose to speak with his former girlfriend.
He describes the anticipation and excitement of hearing her voice on the phone, as it provided a brief moment of connection to home, which was always difficult for him due to various reasons.
In conclusion, Prince Harry’s ongoing legal battle against Mirror Group Newspapers has brought to light his allegations of press intrusion and its impact on his personal life.
His claims of unauthorized voicemail access and constant harassment shed light on the challenges faced by members of the royal family when it comes to maintaining privacy and relationships.
The trial will continue to unfold, with Prince Harry expected to provide further evidence in June.