Connect with us

Published

on

Prince Harry is among a group of claimants who accuse the publisher of The Daily Mail newspaper of phone-tapping and other breaches of privacy.

Associated Newspapers deny the allegations and a preliminary High Court hearing starting today, will consider whether legal arguments and a judge will decide whether it will go any further.

It’s the latest of several cases brought against the tabloid press by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex over the last few years, and this is just one of several cases Prince Harry is currently involved in.

Here’s everything you need to know.

Liz Hurley speaks about breast cancer awareness
Image:
Liz Hurley is also included in the group of claimants
Elton John performs during his "Farewell Yellow Brick Road," tour, Friday, July 15, 2022, at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Image:
Sir Elton John and his husband are claimants in the case

Who’s involved?

The Duke of Sussex v Associated Newspapers Ltd will take place at the High Court in London and is set to last four days.

While Prince Harry is one of the key players, as a group litigation he is not the only claimant.

The 38-year-old royal is bringing the action along with others including actresses Elizabeth Hurley and Sadie Frost, Sir Elton John and his husband, filmmaker David Furnish, and Baroness Doreen Lawrence of Clarendon OBE.

David Sherborne is the lawyer representing Harry and the other claimants.

Associated Newspapers in west London
Image:
Associated Newspapers in west London

Who are Associated Newspapers?

One of Britain’s biggest media publishers, Associated Newspapers Ltd (ANL) is the publisher of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday and MailOnline.

Full details of the claims have not yet been made public, following an earlier application by Associated Newspapers who say the claimants’ use of information is in breach of a restriction order made by Lord Justice Leveson.

As a result the judge has sealed the claims until that issue has been resolved, which will be part of next week’s public hearing.

Read more:
Prince Harry’s ‘intimate conversation’ felt more like watching a therapy session – and it cost us £17.99 each
Harry and Meghan dismiss ‘baseless’ lawsuit claims over South Park episode

Harry and Meghan Netflix documentary trailer. Pic: Netflix
Image:
Harry and Meghan stepped away from royal duties in 2020. Pic: Netflix

What’s alleged?

Lawyers for the claimants have said they had become aware of “highly distressing” evidence revealing they had been victims of “abhorrent criminal activity” and “gross breaches of privacy” by Associated Newspapers.

Accusations include:

• The hiring of private investigators to secretly place listening devices inside people’s cars and homes

• The commissioning of individuals to surreptitiously listen into and record people’s live, private telephone calls while they were taking place

• The payment of police officials, with corrupt links to private investigators, for inside, sensitive information

• The impersonation of individuals to obtain medical information from private hospitals, clinics, and treatment centres by deception

• The accessing of bank accounts, credit histories and financial transactions through illicit means and manipulation

Associated Newspapers have strongly denied the allegations, describing them as “preposterous smears”, and claiming the legal action taken is “a fishing expedition by [the] claimants and their lawyers”.

Lord Justice Sir Brian Leveson before the State Opening of Parliament, in the House of Lords at the Palace of Westminster in London.
Image:
Lord Justice Sir Brian Leveson

What was the Leveson Inquiry and why is it relevant?

In 2011, judge Sir Brian Leveson led a public inquiry after it was revealed News Of The World journalists had hacked the phone of murdered school girl Milly Dowler.

Initially intended to be carried out in two sections, the first part of the Leveson Inquiry looked at the culture, practices and ethics of the press. It involved celebrities including Hugh Grant, Sienna Miller, Steve Coogan and Charlotte Church.

During the inquiry, Paul Dacre, who was editor of the Daily Mail between 1992 and 2018, and is now Associated Newspapers’ editor-in-chief, “unequivocally” condemned “phone hacking and payments to the police”, saying “such practices are a disgrace and have shocked and shamed us all.”

He said: “They need to be purged from journalism and reforms instigated to prevent such criminal activities ever happening again.”

The counsel for Associated Newspapers at the time, Jonathan Caplan, told the inquiry that “so far as [Associated] is aware no journalist at Associated Newspapers has engaged in phone-hacking.

“It does not bribe police officers and, in particular, it condemns the shameful practice of hacking the mobile phones of the victims of crime, or of their families.”

Part two of the Leveson Inquiry was meant to investigate the relationship between journalists and the police, but never took place. There have since been calls to re-open the uncompleted inquiry, with activists including those from the Hacked Off campaign saying such cases as this show wrongdoing within some newspapers is still taking place.

A stock image of a pile of newspapers including The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian, Daily Mirror, Daily Mail, Daily Express and The Sun. Picture date: Saturday February 20, 2021.

Who else is Prince Harry taking to court?

This is not the only legal battle Prince Harry is fighting.

The royal has an ongoing libel case against Associated Newspapers over an article about his security arrangements in the Mail on Sunday. The paper says the article was based on “honest opinion”. He has a separate legal fight against the Home Office over the same protection issues.

In May, his lawsuit against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN), the publisher of the Daily Mirror, over accusations of phone hacking between 1996 and 2011, will go to trial.

Other celebrities involved in the case include former Girls Aloud bandmate Cheryl, actor Ricky Tomlinson, ex-footballer and TV presenter Ian Wright and the estate of the late singer George Michael. MGN has contested the claims and argues that some have been brought too late.

And he is also suing News Group Newspapers (NGN), the publisher of The Times, The Sunday Times and The Sun newspapers (as well as the now-defunct News of the World) for alleged phone-hacking. The Sun has always denied phone hacking took place at the paper, and the publisher has not admitted any unlawful conduct at the title.

The Princess of Wales holds son Prince Harry while royal families posed for photographers at the Royal Palace, Majorca, Spain on Sunday, August 9, 1987. Prince Charles and Princess Diana with their two children William and Henry are spending a week’s vacation on the island as guests of King Juan Carlos and his family. (AP Photo/John Redman)
Image:
The Princess of Wales holds an infant Prince Harry in 1987

Why is Prince Harry doing this?

Prince Harry’s hatred of the British tabloid press is well-documented – he has written about it at length in his memoir Spare and spoken about it in numerous resulting TV interviews.

He has said he blames the paparazzi for the part they played in his mother’s death and vented his frustration at the “injustice” of no one being sent to jail following the inquest into the car crash that killed her.

He has also said that media intrusion was part of the reason he and Meghan stepped back from royal duties in 2020 and moved to America.

Just this year Prince Harry accused members of his family of getting into bed with the devil – the tabloid press – to sully him and his wife Meghan to improve their own reputations.

He has called it his “life’s work” to change the British “media landscape,” making it more accountable for its actions. With a high profile and deep pockets, it’s a mission he’s started in earnest.

It remains to be seen whether the tell-all interviews, a revealing memoir and now numerous court cases assist Prince Harry in his crusade against the media, or simply fuel the fire he says he is so keen to put out.

Continue Reading

Entertainment

Israeli embassy ‘deeply disturbed’ by Bob Vylan’s ‘death to the IDF’ Glastonbury chant

Published

on

By

Israeli embassy 'deeply disturbed' by Bob Vylan's 'death to the IDF' Glastonbury chant

The Israeli embassy has said it’s “deeply disturbed” by chants of “death to the IDF” at Glastonbury – as police also investigate the incident.

Video shows one of the members of Bob Vylan shouting the slogan into the mic and some of the crowd joining in.

The duo were performing ahead of a performance by Kneecap, the Irish act who the prime minister said should be ditched from the line-up.

“The Embassy of Israel in the United Kingdom is deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival,” a statement said.

It said slogans like Saturday’s chant “advocate for the dismantling of the State of Israel”.

Bob Vylan performing on the West Holts Stage. Pic: PA
Image:
The BBC said some of the comments by Bob Vylan were ‘deeply offensive’. Pic: PA

The post on X added: “When such messages are delivered before tens of thousands of festivalgoers and met with applause, it raises serious concerns about the normalisation of extremist language and the glorification of violence.”

Avon and Somerset Police said they are looking at whether a criminal offence was committed.

Bob Vylan also performed in front of a screen quoting a claim that Israel’s actions in Gaza amount to genocide.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has spoken to BBC boss Tim Davie for an “urgent explanation” about what due diligence it carried out into Bob Vylan.

Bob Vylan member on stage. Pic: PA
Image:
Thousands watched the set on the West Holts stage. Pic: PA

A spokesman said the government strongly condemned the “threatening comments” by the group, whose X bio describes them as a “punk/rap/alt thing”.

A BBC statement said: “Some of the comments made during Bob Vylan’s set were deeply offensive.

“During this live stream on iPlayer, which reflected what was happening on stage, a warning was issued on screen about the very strong and discriminatory language.

“We have no plans to make the performance available on demand.”

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch re-posted a clip of the incident and called it “grotesque”.

“Violence against Jews isn’t edgy. The West is playing with fire if we allow this sort of behaviour to go unchecked,” she said on X.

Read more:
Kneecap rapper tells Glastonbury he’s a ‘free man’
Lewis Capaldi plays ‘secret’ set at Glastonbury
Robbie Williams addresses Glastonbury rumours

A statement from Glastonbury Festival said it “does not condone hate speech or incitement to violence of any kind from its performers”.

DJ Provai of Kneecap. Pic: Reuters
Image:
Kneecap also performed – with the BBC not showing them live. Pic: Reuters

Irish group Kneecap followed Bob Vylan – with the broadcaster not carrying their performance live amid concern over what they might do or say.

However, it’s understood their show will be made available on demand after a review.

One of its members, Liam Og O hAnnaidh, was charged with a terror offence in May after being accused of displaying a flag in support of proscribed terror group Hezbollah at a gig.

Mo Chara of Kneecap at Glastonbury. Pic: Reuters
Image:
Pic: Reuters

Crowd and flags at Glastonbury. Pic: Reuters
Image:
There were Palestinian flags among the crowd for Kneecap’s show. Pic: Reuters

Bandmate Naoise O Caireallain told the packed Glastonbury crowd they should “start a riot outside the courts”, before clarifying: “No riots just love and support, and support for Palestine.”

O hAnnaidh – also known as Mo Chara – wore a Palestinian keffiyeh scarf for Saturday’s set and told fans he was a “free man”.

Continue Reading

Entertainment

Calum Scott: Britain’s Got Talent star on fame, mental health and dealing with body dysmorphia

Published

on

By

Calum Scott: Britain's Got Talent star on fame, mental health and dealing with body dysmorphia

There was a moment in Calum Scott’s life when he found himself contemplating taking his own life.

The 36-year-old singer-songwriter tells Sky News: “I did get to a point where I had a very low self-esteem, very low self-worth… I thought, ‘I can’t see how my life will get any better from this moment’.”

He says it was only the thought of the “shattering” impact his death would have on his mum Debbie that pulled him back from the edge and gave him the momentum to reach out for help.

“What I thought was my lowest moment was probably my most defining moment in terms of being able to pick myself up… and to walk away, albeit with lots of tears and a lot of emotion.

“That was the moment that I needed to pursue better mental health.”

Pic: Tom Cockram
Image:
Calum Scott has achieved a billion streams of his music. Pic: Tom Cockram

He’s since racked up a billion streams of his music, joining the likes of The Rolling Stones, Whitney Houston and ABBA in his achievement.

His biggest UK chart hit – a cover of Robyn’s Dancing On My Own – reached number two in the singles chart, with the video having been viewed more than half a billion times on YouTube.

It’s a future he would have found hard to comprehend just a decade ago.

Scott was working in the HR department of Hull City Council when Britain’s Got Talent made him an overnight star after receiving a “golden buzzer” (an automatic pass into the semi-finals) from judge Simon Cowell.

Scott reached the final – which was won by Jules O’Dwyer and her dog Matisse – and the singer’s success was the things dreams are made of. But he admits, it wasn’t all roses.

Calum performing with Take That at the King's coronation. Pic: PA
Image:
Calum performing with Take That at the King’s coronation. Pic: PA

“That was when I first started having panic attacks,” he says. “For me to suddenly start down that road was scary.

“There’s no handbook on how to deal with fame. That doesn’t exist, as far as I know.”

A notoriously tough business, Scott says the music scene is one where “people constantly want something from you”.

The death of One Direction star Liam Payne – who rose to fame on talent show X Factor – last year was a stark reminder of the pressure on those in the public eye.

Liam Payne. Pic: Reuters
Image:
Liam Payne died last year. Pic: Reuters

Scott says Payne’s death could be the “wake-up call that the industry needs” to highlight “the pressure, the expectation (and) the workload” on young artists.

“You need that balance to be able to be creative, and the industry is where art meets consumerism,” he says.

“I think you’ve got to be careful that that line doesn’t start to impose on your soul and in your heart.”

‘A prisoner in your own body’

For Scott, his desire to perform in front of thousands has lived alongside his battle with the debilitating mental health condition, body dysmorphia.

“It’s an industry where people are not only listening to the music, but they’re looking at you and scrutinising you, and it’s difficult to put yourself out there – to be enjoyed and to entertain people – but also to be criticised,” he says.

Estimated to affect up to 2% of the adult population in the UK, according to the Body Dysmorphic Disorder Foundation, sufferers spend hours worrying about perceived flaws in their appearance, which can severely impact work, social life and relationships.

Scott says: “For me, growing up, I had a few issues with my sexuality and my dad leaving when I was young and losing all my friends. A lot of reasons compounded down as to why I ended up with body dysmorphia.”

Pic: Tom Cockram
Image:
Pic: Tom Cockram

At his worst, obsessively documenting his perceived flaws, Scott says: “For anybody who’s suffering with body dysmorphia, you feel a prisoner in your own body, and it’s awful.

“With social media, it’s difficult because every facet of every part of our life is documented on Instagram in the perfect way. And that’s just not how life works.

“People aren’t putting their worst parts on social media. Somebody wakes up at six in the morning, they’re beautiful and their hair’s done, but somebody set that camera up to record that moment. It’s not real.”

‘The favourite part of my job’

One thing that is real is Scott’s connection to his fans.

Calum Scott in black and red, plus a turtle neck for good measure.
Image:
Calum at this year’s Brit Awards. Pic: Reuters

“My favourite part of my job is going to a gig and performing the songs that have resonated with people in such different, vast ways, and watching it happen in real time,” he says.

“It’s like magic, you know? Like the stuff you used to watch – Paul Daniels on the TV, and my god, it just used to buzz you. It’s the same thing.”

With a new album and a 48-city world tour ahead of him, Scott’s story is an inspiring one.

A mental health advocate, his message of hope is one he hopes to share with his fans and beyond: “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t give myself the opportunity to. It’s important to just stay headstrong, believe in yourself. Anything’s possible.”

Calum Scott’s third studio album, Avenoir, is out on 12 September, followed by his world tour, which kicks off on 12 October in Porto, Portugal.

Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK

Continue Reading

Entertainment

Pulp revealed as mystery Glastonbury band as they echo famous 1990s headline set

Published

on

By

Pulp revealed as mystery Glastonbury band as they echo famous 1990s headline set

Declaring a ‘Pulp Summer’ on the screen behind them, the band appeared on Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage for another of the festival’s “surprise” performances.

Billed as the non-existent act Patchwork in the days beforehand, fans knew to expect something big – similar to when The ChurnUps turned out to be the Foo Fighters in 2023.

A group of people mysteriously walked on to the stage in waterproof ponchos before the “secret” was revealed and the Pulp homage to fellow Saturday night performer Charli XCX’s Brat Summer appeared on screen.

Glastonbury’s greatest secret sets of all time

Like Lewis Capaldi’s unannounced set on Friday, everyone at Glastonbury knew who to expect by the time Jarvis Cocker and co began at 6.15pm, thanks to the bookies’ odds, “secret” sources and whispers around the festival.

The Sheffield band were welcomed with a huge turnout at the festival’s biggest stage.

Pulp performing on the Pyramid Stage during the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Somerset. Picture date: Saturday June 28, 2025. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Yui Mok/PA Wire
Image:
Jarvis Cocker was welcomed with a huge turnout at the festival’s biggest stage. Pic: PA

In tribute to their headline performance in 1995, when they famously took over from The Stone Roses at short notice, Pulp started with Sorted For E’s And Whizz and then straight into Disco 2000 – two songs played live for the first time on this same stage 30 years ago.

More on Glastonbury

“It was the very, very first time they were played – you could say they were born in Glastonbury,” Cocker told the crowd.

From the Mercury Prize-winning Different Class, the album that propelled Pulp to topping the charts and platinum sales, and one of the most critically acclaimed records of the 1990s, the songs prompted a mass sing-along – and jump-along from an enthusiastic crowd who knew every word.

“My name’s Jarvis, this is Pulp,” Cocker announced, just in case anyone was in any doubt. “Sorry for people who were expecting Patchwork. Did you know that we were going to play?”

Pulp performing on the Pyramid Stage during the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Somerset. Picture date: Saturday June 28, 2025. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Yui Mok/PA Wire
Image:
Cocker mischievously asked crowds: ‘Did you know that we were going to play?’ Pic: PA

After their 1990s hits, the band launched into Spike Island, the lead single from More – their first album in 24 years, released earlier this month.

It was a set full of memorable moments – including the Red Arrows flying over – and Cocker picking up an acoustic guitar for the poignant Something Changed.

Do You Remember The First Time? And Babies also featured, before the band of course ended on their biggest hit – Common People.

Pulp’s appearance came after keyboard player Candida Doyle appeared to confirm the band would not perform at the festival in a BBC interview beforehand, despite much speculation that they would fill one of the unannounced slots.

Read more from Sky News:
Kneecap rapper says he’s a ‘free man
Performers criticise political interference
Listen: The future of Glastonbury

Pulp performing on the Pyramid Stage during the Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Somerset. Picture date: Saturday June 28, 2025. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Yui Mok/PA Wire
Image:
Pulp performed songs including Sorted For E’s And Whizz, Disco 2000 and Common People. Pic: PA

“We wanted to, just because it’s the 30th anniversary and that kind of thing, and they weren’t interested,” she said. “And then we were thinking maybe next year, and then they’re not doing it next year.”

Along with the headliners and the Sunday afternoon “legends slots”, unannounced sets from the likes of the Foo Fighters, The Killers, and Radiohead have become some of the most talked-about performances at Glastonbury in recent years.

As well as Capaldi and Pulp, acts including Lorde and Haim have also popped up as “secrets” this year.

Pulp have a history of surprises at the festival, having performed a secret set on the Park Stage in 2011 following their first hiatus.

Formed in 1978, they released three albums in the 1980s and early ’90s before finding mainstream success with 1994’s His And Hers.

Different Class came 18 months later in October 1995 and Pulp became huge, helped in no small part by their memorable performance at Glastonbury earlier in the year.

Thirty years later, they have entered the festival’s history books once again.

Continue Reading

Trending