Prince Harry rallies behind tearful Elizabeth Hurley as she breaks down in court over alleged tabloid spying
The British model is among seven claimants — including Elton John — suing Associated Newspapers over alleged unlawful information gathering
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Prince Harry rallied behind Elizabeth Hurley on Thursday as she tearfully broke down in court during their battle over alleged privacy violations.
The British royal and the model are among seven claimants — including Elton John — suing Associated Newspapers, the publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday. They allege the U.K. tabloids engaged in the "clear, systematic and sustained use of unlawful information gathering" over two decades, according to attorney David Sherborne.
The 60-year-old model and actress wept as she alleged her landlines and home had been bugged in what she called a "brutal invasion of privacy" to produce tabloid stories at London’s High Court.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Just a day after testifying, Prince Harry (left) was present at London’s High Court on Jan. 22, 2026, to support Elizabeth Hurley (right) in their legal battle against Associated Newspapers. (Reuters/Julia Quenzler; Jordan Pettitt/PA Images via Getty Images)
Hurley paused several times to compose herself as she described being targeted by "deeply hurtful and damaging" articles, The Guardian reported. She accused the publisher of bugging her windowsill and using information from tapped landlines.
During questioning, Hurley was asked why she hadn’t complained about the 15 articles published between 2002 and 2011 sooner, People reported. She replied that she hadn’t lodged complaints because "they were, in essence, true."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I believe it’s because people were listening to me speak," she said.
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Royal expert Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital it was a no-brainer that Harry was present at the trial on Thursday even though he wasn’t testifying.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Harry was pleased to support Liz Hurley," he said. "She felt that, allegedly, her home had been bugged, which caused her tremendous upset and worries that unknown people had illegally invaded her privacy."
A courtroom sketch of Prince Harry made on Jan. 21, 2026. (Reuters/Julia Quenzler)
"Prince Harry was originally supposed to testify today, so it’s nice to see him in court after an emotional day to support another claimant," royal commentator Meredith Constant told Fox News Digital.
Prince Harry is seen outside The Royal Courts of Justice on Jan. 22, 2026, in London. A group of claimants, including the Duke of Sussex, Sir Elton John and Elizabeth Hurley, are suing the publishers of the Daily Mail for alleged unlawful information gathering from 1993 to 2011. (Neil Mockford/GC Images/Getty Images)
"It’s a visual reminder that this case isn’t just about Prince Harry. It’s powerful. It’s not a case of whinging and giving the British royal family a massive headache, as some U.K. outlets have tried to frame it."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Guardian reported that in a witness statement submitted to the court, Hurley said that unlawful acts against her involved "landline tapping my phones and recording my live telephone conversations, placing surreptitious mics on my home windows, stealing my medical information when I was pregnant ... and other monstrous, staggering things."
Elizabeth Hurley leaves with her son Damian Hurley during a court case against Associated Newspapers Ltd. at The Royal Courts of Justice on Jan. 22, 2026 in London. (Leon Neal/Getty Images)
"Above all, it was the discovery that the Mail had tapped the landlines of my home phones and tape-recorded my live telephone conversations that devastated me," she said. "I felt crushed."
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}This courtroom sketch shows Elizabeth Hurley testifying at London's High Court as Prince Harry (left) looks on. (Priscilla Coleman/MB Media)
Hurley said she often wondered whether people close to her were leaking private conversations or if someone nearby could overhear them.
Associated Newspapers has strongly denied the allegations made by the claimants, calling them "preposterous." The publisher said the roughly 50 articles in question were based on legitimate sources, including acquaintances who had volunteered information about their famous friends.
Elizabeth Hurley and Damian Hurley arrive at The Royal Courts of Justice on Jan. 20, 2026, in London. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
Lead barrister Anthony White argued that the information published about Hurley had come from lawful means and sources who willingly spoke about their celebrity friends.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Elizabeth Hurley broke down at London’s High Court on Jan. 22, 2026. (Priscilla Coleman/MB Media)
A visibly emotional Hurley said she aimed to protect her son and would not say anything publicly she wouldn’t want him to read. She added that any quotes from named friends had been approved and were uncontroversial, and that her own remarks were benign and did not reveal private information.
At one point, Hurley was offered a break but declined. Her voice cracked as she said, "It was a pretty traumatic time," People reported.
Elizabeth Hurley gave emotional testimony at the Royal Courts of Justice in central London, on day four of the trial over allegations of unlawful information gathering brought against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) on Jan. 22, 2026. ( Jordan Pettitt/PA Images via Getty Images)
Hurley’s testimony came a day after Harry was on the witness stand for two and a half hours on Wednesday. That day, he released a witness statement that named his brother, Prince William, and sister-in-law, Kate Middleton.
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Prince William rides a lightweight mobility scooter as he visits the Bristol Robotics Laboratory (BRL) on Jan. 22, 2026, in Bristol, England. The Prince of Wales is visiting Bristol to view the city's achievements in sustainability. (Alastair Grant - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
People reported that the list was part of Harry’s argument describing the circle of people he was in "regular contact" with between 1996 and 2014.
The 41-year-old alleged that private details published by the tabloids could only have come from unlawfully obtained information shared within trusted circles.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Duke of Sussex leaves the Royal Courts of Justice in central London, after a show of support and solidarity with the other claimants on Jan. 22, 2026. (Jordan Pettitt/PA Images via Getty Images)
"It makes complete sense that Harry named William and Kate," said Constant. "It serves as a reminder that alleged illegal information gathering and invasive tactics to get information don’t occur in a bubble.
Catherine, Princess of Wales, visits Radical Weavers, a working hand-weaving studio and independent charity that aims to help tackle social isolation and support people affected by trauma by offering the opportunity to learn traditional Scottish tartan-weaving skills, on Jan. 20, 2026 in Stirling, Scotland. (Samir Hussein/WireImage/Getty Images)
"The jarring difference between the brothers and how they’ve decided to handle the tabloids is fully on display. One can’t discount the idea that, not only the tabloid coverage, but how William and Harry have decided to deal with the U.K. press, has contributed to their yearslong rift."
British royals expert Hilary Fordwich criticized the decision.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Harry rather ironically stated in court on the record regarding Prince William, ‘We trusted each other with the highly sensitive information we shared about our private, family and professional lives,’" Fordwich told Fox News Digital. "And now it’s hypocritical Harry who has betrayed that highly sacred trust."
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Britain's Prince Harry arrives during the first week of a nine-week trial lawsuit against Associated Newspapers, publisher of the Daily Mail, which the royal and others are suing over allegations of privacy breaches dating back 30 years, at London's High Court on Jan. 21, 2026. (Isabel Infantes/Reuters)
"He is dragging the monarchy back into the uncouth world of celebrity victimhood while the other royals are focused on duty and service," Fordwich claimed. "The judge had to keep reminding Harry that the allegations aren’t proof."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Harry also appeared emotional as he told the court that the Daily Mail had made his wife Meghan Markle’s life "an absolute misery." Harry said the idea that he isn’t entitled to privacy is "disgusting," adding that the legal battle has been another "horrible experience" for his family.
"Associated Newspapers was the outlet that published Meghan’s letter to her father, Thomas Markle, in 2019," Constant previously told Fox News Digital.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex reside in the wealthy, coastal city of Montecito. They left the U.K. in 2020. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
"It was somewhat rich for the defense to suggest that Prince Harry should have gone to the palace’s preferred law firm, given how Meghan and Harry claimed they were ignored when they asked for legal action against the Mail on Sunday that year."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back as senior royals in 2020, citing intense media scrutiny and a lack of support from the palace. They relocated to California.