Royal news: Harry opens ‘can of worms’ in phone hacking hearing

In this week’s royal update, Sarah Ferguson’s emotional tribute to Princess Diana, Prince Harry slams his family once again in a hacking hearing and Kate Middleton’s jab at Prince William goes viral. 

Royal news update

Prince Harry accuses the royal Family of hiding information

The Duke of Sussex’s Prince Harry has slammed his British Royal Family, AFP reported. 

He has accused his family of withholding information about phone hacking from him to avoid sitting in the witness box and opening “a can of worms”, a witness statement released Tuesday said.

The Duke of Sussex made the claim in submissions for a privacy claim he and other celebrities have filed against the publisher of the Daily Mail, Associated Newspapers (ANL). 

The hacking hearing is being heard at London’s High Court. 

ALSO READ: Prince Harry says always felt ‘different’ from other UK royals

Prince Harry’s appearance in court was joined by British pop icon Sir Elton John. 

Lawyers for the group, which includes Elton John, claim ANL commissioned the breaking and entry into private property, illegally intercepted voicemail messages and obtained medical records.

The alleged wrongdoing date back between 1993-2011, but some went on as late as 2018, according to their lawyer. 

WATCH: Harry leaves the court after hacking hearing

In his partially redacted statement released to the media, Harry stated he had “became aware that I had a claim that I could bring” only in 2018, in part due to the Royal Family, which he refers to them as “the Institution”. 

Harry explained: “That has only become clear in recent years as I have pursued my own claim with different legal advice and representation”. 

“The Institution was without a doubt withholding information from me for a long time about… phone hacking,” he added.

During his documentary series with his wife Meghan Markle on Netflix, Harry was very critical of the British press and its lengths to “destroy” Meghan and hurt him personally. 

ANL has denied the allegations calling them “preposterous smears” and an attempt “to drag the Mail titles into the phone-hacking scandal”.

They claim Harry appears “obessed” with the Mail publications. 

The prince went on to state: “The Institution made it clear that we did not need to know anything about phone hacking and it was made clear to me that the Royal Family did not sit in the witness box because that could open up a can of worms”.

Harry concluded he feels he’s doing the British public a “service, to know the full extent of this cover up and I feel it is his duty to expose it”. 

She was so funny, so young 

Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson, who was close friends with the late Princess Diana, is looking back at their friendship. 

Ferguson, now 63 told Alan Carr on his podcast Life’s a Beach that her friendship with Diana started when the Princess of Wales was 14.

“She was just so funny. There is nobody else. I absolutely loved everything about her.” 

Ferguson was married to the now disgraced Prince Andrew and has kept close ties with her former in-laws. 

WATCH: Ferguson describes friendship with Diana

She also paid tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, who died in April 2021, describing him as a wise man. 

Queen Elizabeth died over a year later, in September 2022, and Duchess was emotional describing their bond. 

“When I think about The Queen, I feel very emotional and I want to cry. When I think about Diana, I smile and I laugh – she was so funny,” she said. 

Kate’s jab at Willam goes viral

Prince and Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton and Prince William often turn heads during their royal tours and an old clip of one of their tours has gone viral.

During a trip to the Caribbean last year, Kate was captured tasting a local delicacy Conch which reportedly has the same effect as viagra. 

ALSO READ: Is trouble brewing between Prince William and Kate Middleton?

The clip was posted on a fan account, and many saw it as a jab towards her husband as he declined to taste the conch. 

Kate in a laughing manner says: “I’m a little bit more adventurous than William is, so it’s okay”.

Watch: Kate’s playful jab towards William

Compiled by Sandisiwe Mbhele, additional reporting by AFP