Prince Harry’s Ongoing Struggle with the Royal Family

Prince Harry's relationship with the royal family appears to be deteriorating, as suggested by former Tory minister David Mellor.

Mellor expressed his concerns following the Duke of Sussex's recent claim that his brother, Prince William, had received a confidential payment to settle a phone hacking dispute.

This revelation comes at a particularly sensitive time for the monarchy, with preparations for King Charles III's impending coronation well underway.

During an appearance on GB News, Mellor criticized Harry for what he perceives as relentless attacks on the royal establishment, asserting that these actions are not only detrimental to the Duke's own life but also jeopardize any potential reconciliation with the royal family.

The settlement received by William, reportedly amounting to £1 million, is deemed by Mellor as reasonable, especially when compared to the substantial sums Rupert Murdoch has paid out in similar cases.

In a separate legal battle, Prince Harry is embroiled in a lawsuit against newsgroup newspapers NGN over alleged unlawful information gathering practices at publications such as The Sun and the now-defunct News of the World.

The Duke claims that his privacy was violated through unauthorized access to his personal information.

NGN is now seeking to dismiss Harry's case, alongside a similar claim made by actor Hugh Grant, on the grounds of untimeliness.

Responding to NGN's application, Harry's legal team argued that the publisher's actions aim to undermine a confidential agreement between the royal family and NGN, which Harry was made aware of in 2012.

According to David Sherborne, representing the Duke, Harry was under the impression that only one voicemail, left by his father, Prince Charles, had been intercepted prior to 2012.

The barrister highlighted Harry's belief that the tabloid press would not risk intercepting his messages due to the involvement of security services, despite suspicions from royal staff about potential hacking incidents.

This legal dispute is just one of several ongoing battles for Prince Harry.

He recently attended a preliminary hearing at the High Royal Court in a case against Associated Newspaper Limited, publisher of the Mail on Sunday.

Furthermore, Harry is expected to provide testimony in a trial concerning alleged unlawful information gathering by Mirror Group Newspapers, scheduled to commence next month, with the Duke set to appear in court in June.

The complexities of these legal challenges underscore the continued tensions within the royal family and the intricate dynamics at play in Prince Harry's life.