Associated Newspapers, known as the publisher behind British tabloids Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday, is in deep water… YET AGAIN.
Prince Harry is joining Elton John and his husband, David Furnish, as well as actors Elizabeth Hurley, Sadie Frost, and campaigner Doreen Lawrence, and Baroness Lawrence of Clarendon, in a lawsuit against the publisher, filed on Sunday. According to Hamlins law firm, which is representing Prince Harry and Sadie, the celebs allege to be:
“The victims of abhorrent criminal activity and gross breaches of privacy by Associated Newspapers.”
Related: Royal Family ‘Hugely Nervous’ About Prince Harry’s Upcoming Memoir
Elton, David, Elizabeth, and Doreen are all being represented legally by Gunnercooke law firm.
Court records, filed in London’s High Court Thursday by Gunnercooke, claim the publisher is guilty of “misuse of private information,” while the Hamlins firm has yet to officially enter documents on behalf of their clients. It’s in these newly revealed papers though that they allege Associated Newspapers hired private investigators to tap into phone conversations, paid police officials for sensitive information, impersonated hospital staff to acquire financial information, and bug the homes and cars of the celebs “through illicit means and manipulation.” Wild!
A representative for the publisher has since denied any wrongdoing, telling Variety:
“We utterly and unambiguously refute these preposterous smears which appear to be nothing more than a pre-planned and orchestrated attempt to drag the Mail titles into the phone hacking scandal concerning articles up to 30 years old. These unsubstantiated and highly defamatory claims — based on no credible evidence — appear to be simply a fishing expedition by claimants and their lawyers, some of whom have already pursued cases elsewhere.”
Very serious allegations of some EXTREME invasions of privacy! This marks Prince Harry’s third lawsuit against Associated Newspapers, following claims of libel and slander. And you may recall his wife Meghan Markle won a suit against the company after they published portions of the letter she wrote to her dad Thomas Markle. So it’s not too crazy to hear there are others being victimized by the publications. As for “no credible evidence,” we’ll just have to see on that.
Do you think it’s likely that this group of celebs will come away with a win in this latest legal move? What are YOUR thoughts on the matter, Perezcious readers? Let us know in the comments (below)!
[Images via Associated Newspapers, Jimmy Kimmel Live/YouTube & MEGA/WENN]
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