Prince Harry in court: William’s prank call, strip club visit, and Chelsy Davy break-up – duke faces more questions from Mirror publisher’s lawyer
Prince Harry has answered questions about a prank voicemail left by his brother William, a visit to a strip club, and his break-up with Chelsy Davy, in his second day giving evidence at the High Court.
Harry was also asked if he would be “disappointed” should the court not find in his favour and decide details about his private life were not obtained by phone hacking by Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) journalists.
The Duke of Sussex said he would be “speculating”, but when pushed further he replied to say he would “feel some injustice”.
Harry told the court: “I believe that phone hacking was [done] on an industrial scale across at least three of the papers at the time… that is beyond any doubt.
“To have a decision against me and any of the other people [bringing a claim], given that Mirror Group have admitted hacking [in relation to other cases], yes it would feel like an injustice… if it wasn’t accepted.”
Andrew Green KC, representing MGN, then asked the duke: “So you want to have been phone hacked?”.
“Nobody wants to be phone hacked,” he replied.
In 2014, MGN admitted liability in four cases of phone hacking, and since then has settled dozens of claims, with stars including Hugh Grant and Sienna Miller. The publisher denies the allegations made by Harry.
Prince Harry is being questioned by MGN’s barrister Andrew Green
Harry arrived outside the court’s Rolls Building in central London in a black Range Rover shortly before 10am, wearing a dark suit and silver tie, before entering the witness box again after nearly five hours of cross-examination on Tuesday.
His witness statement has also been released, containing the full details of all his allegations against MGN, publisher of the Daily Mirror and other titles – a lawsuit that makes him the first senior royal to give evidence in a UK court in more in than 100 years.
After resuming his questioning this morning, Mr Green asked Harry about an article headlined “Chel Shocked”, published in the People in 2006, which reports how his then girlfriend Ms Davy was angry about the royal allegedly receiving a lap dance during a night out with cadet friends.
In his witness statement, Harry said he does not remember Ms Davy being mad at him. “We did speak about it over the phone, but I promised her that I hadn’t had a lap dance and stayed with the three other cadets that had girlfriends,” he wrote.
Speaking in court, Harry said parts of the article were “factually incorrect” – including a reference to a “tall statuesque blonde” who bore a “striking resemblance” to Ms Davy.
Harry’s former girlfriend Chelsea Davy pictured in 2011
Mr Green put it to Harry that many MGN stories included as part of his case contained information that was already available elsewhere, including in articles by rival news outlets.
One story published by the now defunct News Of The World at the time contained details of a voicemail left by Prince William to Harry, mimicking Ms Davy’s “high-pitched” accent, the barrister told the court – saying this was an “important step” to police arresting Clive Goodman, the then royal editor at the News Of The World, and private investigator Glenn Mulcaire, over royal phone hacking.
Harry said he was aware of this.
Mr Green also asked about an article headlined “Hooray Harry’s dumped” – which the duke said was “hurtful to say the least” and that “such a private moment was turned into a bit of a laugh”.
The barrister said the “Hooray” name had been used to describe the royal in previous stories and “was not celebrating the demise of your relationship.”
Pop star appears outside Harry court case
Before today’s evidence began, former East 17 star Brian Harvey turned up outside court, shouting about corruption.
He told Sky News that he too was a victim of phone hacking, and that the media is “a joke”.
Brian Harvey outside court – we have blurred this image as it contains information Sky News cannot verify
During his first day in court, Harry criticised Piers Morgan, and said in his witness statement that he felt “physically sick” at the thought of the former Mirror editor and his “band of journalists” allegedly “earwigging” on his mother Princess Diana‘s messages.
Morgan later told Sky News he did not see any of Harry’s comments, but added: “I wish him luck with his privacy campaign and look forward to reading about it in his next book.”
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Piers Morgan reacts to Harry’s claims
As part of our special programmes on the case, Sky News is transcribing Harry’s evidence and recreating his court appearance with an actor.
The royal is suing MGN, attempting to prove that reporters for the Mirror, Sunday Mirror and Sunday People titles were linked to methods including phone hacking, so-called “blagging” or gaining information by deception, and use of private investigators, between 1996 and 2010.
He claims about 140 articles contained information gathered using unlawful methods, and 33 of these have been selected to be considered at the trial.
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Harry’s ‘distress’ at press coverage
MGN is contesting the claims and has either denied or not admitted each of them. The publisher also argues that some of the claimants have brought their legal action too late.
Read more:
Duke was calm on day one – but there’s much more to come
Which articles have been brought up in the duke’s case?
The key people named in Prince Harry’s witness statement
As well as Harry, there are three other representative claimants involved in the case: Coronation Street actor Michael Turner, known professionally as Michael Le Vell, who is best known for playing Kevin Webster; Hollyoaks and former Coronation Street actress Nikki Sanderson; and comedian Paul Whitehouse’s ex-wife Fiona Wightman.
They are representative of more than 100 claimants overall, including singer and TV star Cheryl, ex-footballer and pundit Ian Wright, and the estate of the late George Michael.
Harry In Court – watch special programme on Sky News tonight at 9pm
A manhunt for a second and third prisoner who were released in error has put further pressure on Justice Secretary David Lammy.
Last month Hadush Gerberslasie Kebatu, who was serving a 12-month prison sentence for sexual assault, was released in error when he should have been deported.
The Ethiopian national, who came to the UK on a small boat in the summer, spent roughly 48 hours at large before being apprehended in north London and deported.
But it emerged on Wednesday that within days of Kebatu’s mistaken release from HMP Chelmsford, HMP Wandsworth also mistakenly released prisoner Brahim Kaddour-Cherif.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed to Sky News: “Shortly after 1pm on Tuesday 4 November, the Met was informed by the Prison Service that a prisoner had been released in error from HMP Wandsworth on Wednesday 29 October.
“The prisoner is a 24-year-old Algerian man.
“Officers are carrying out urgent enquiries in an effort to locate him and return him to custody.”
The same day Surrey Police put out a public appeal to locate fraudster William Smith, 35, who was also released in error from HMP Wandsworth on 3 November. He had been sentenced to 45 months in prison that day.
Mr Lammy, who was recently appointed justice secretary, is under renewed political pressure.
Hadush Kebatu, jailed for two sexual assaults in Epping. Pic: Essex Police / PA
How many prisoners are released in error?
According to government statistics published in July, 262 prisoners were released in error in the 12 months to March 2025 – a 128% increase from 115 the previous year.
The report states: “Of the 262 releases in error, 233 of these releases in error occurred from prison establishments, while 29 were released in error at the courts.
“Releases in error from establishments could also be a result of errors by the court.”
This is out of a total prison population across England and Wales of roughly 86,000.
Sky News has contacted the HM Prison & Probation Service to know how many of the 262 prisoners have since been found and returned to custody.
In September 2024, Sky News reported how dozens of people released from jail under the government’s emergency prison scheme were freed by mistake.
The Labour government said it was forced to release hundreds of inmates early because prisons were at capacity.
William Fernandez. Pic: PA
Kebatu was due to be deported when he was mistakenly released from HMP Chelmsford.
Previous high-profile manhunts
William Fernandez, who was awaiting trial for sexual assault, was released from HMP Wormwood by error in March 2021. He then went on to rape a 16-year-old girl and sexually assault a young woman.
Joseph McCann. Pic: Police handout
In December 2019, the prisons and probation service “apologised unreservedly” after serial rapist Joseph McCann was freed to commit a series of sex attacks on women and children.
In July 2017, an inmate who was released from prison just months into a nine-year sentence due to a “clerical error” was arrested after weeks on the run.
A man who arrived on a small boat has been sent back to France for the second time in less than two months.
The Iranian man came to the UK on a small boat on 6 August and was initially sent back to France on 19 September, before returning to the UK on a small boat on 18 October.
He has been flown back again as part of the latest tranche of 19 returnees under the “one in, one out” agreement with France.
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The Iranian man told The Guardian he had been a victim of modern slavery at the hands of people smugglers in northern France.
As part of the one in, one out agreement, which came into play in August, 94 migrants who came to the UK illegally on small boats have now been removed.
In return, a total of 57 approved asylum seekers have been brought to the UK.
The man came to the UK twice on a small boat. File pic
Although the UK has sent back more migrants than it has accepted, the two countries have committed to exchange an equal number of people in each direction.
The end of October saw more migrants having crossed the Channel in 2025 than the entirety of 2024.
Read more:
Manhunt after foreign prisoner mistakenly released from prison
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: “Anyone looking to return to the UK after being removed under the UK-France agreement is wasting their time and money.
“This individual was detected by biometrics and detained instantly. His case was expedited, and now he has been removed again.
“My message is clear: if you try to return to the UK you will be sent back. I will do whatever it takes to scale up removals of illegal migrants and secure our borders.”
Fire crews have been tackling a major incident after flooding hit parts of southwest Wales overnight, with people trapped in their homes and vehicles.
Joint Fire Control (JFC), which includes South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, received more than 450 calls within a 12-hour period, mainly in Carmarthenshire, according to Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service (MAWWFRS).
Forty-eight people were rescued from a care home, more than 40 people were helped to safety from flooded homes, three people were rescued from a vehicle trapped in fast-flowing water, and more than 30 dogs were saved from flood-affected kennels at a shelter.
A major incident was declared after flooding at a retirement complex in Whitland in the early hours of Wednesday. At 1.35am, crews were deployed to rescue 48 people using “rescue sleds and water rescue equipment,” MAWWFRS said in a statement.
Pic: MAWWFRS
Three people were trapped in a vehicle in fast-flowing water. Pic: MAWWFRS
Earlier on Tuesday, in the remote village of Ffarmers, fire teams rescued three people and their two dogs who were stuck in a vehicle situated in fast-flowing water.
Fire chiefs said crews used extension ladders to reach the vehicle.
Two further incidents on Tuesday evening involved people being rescued from flooded properties in Ferryside.
Around 42 more people were rescued in nearby St Clears, where about 20 domestic and commercial properties were flooded.
Flood warnings and alerts have been in force across Wales. Pic: Natural Resources Wales
Later the same evening, crews were involved in an operation at Glanrhyd Dog Sanctuary, Kidwelly. Boats were used to evacuated dogs from a shelter which was ruined in the floods.
Owner Alison Clark told Sky News she was “broken beyond belief”.
Crews transported animals from Glanrhyd Dog Sanctuary, Kidwelly, to safety. Pic: MAWWFRS
All the dogs were rescued. Pic: MAWWFRS
“It’s devastating. Everything ruined or lost in the current. All white goods… freezers etc along with dog food, bedding and leads etc.
“We spent 80k on this move to make the sanctuary one of the best and now it is ruined.
“I’m broken beyond belief. My only saving grace is that I kept every dog alive.”
Among the rivers placed on flood warning – where flooding is expected – were the River Towy around Camarthen and between Llandeilo and Abergwili, the River Ritec at Tenby, the River Cynin at St Clears, the River Taf at Whitland and the River Teifi at Llechryd and Cenarth.
Carmarthenshire County Council said a rest centre has been set up in Carmarthen Leisure Centre for those suffering the “severe impact” of flooding in the Whitland and St Clears areas.
Seven schools were closed on Wednesday in the county and the council also confirmed multiple road closures were in place due to flooding or road conditions.
Read more from Sky News:
Manhunt for prisoner wrongly released
Migrant sent back to France for second time
Craig Flannery, Assistant Chief Fire Officer at MAWWFRS, said the rescues were “prolonged and challenging”.
“I have personally witnessed the dedication and professionalism of our staff dealing with multiple calls over a prolonged period, as well as the courageous efforts of our operational crews responding to these incidents across our Service area,” he said.
“Our crews have been truly exceptional in assisting and protecting our communities.
“We are also extremely grateful to all partner agencies who have assisted in responding to incidents during a prolonged and challenging period.”
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