Harry attacks UK government, press

Prince Harry today launched an extraordinary attack on the Government – branding it ‘rock bottom’ - and addressed rumours that Princess Diana’s lover James Hewitt was his father as he became the first British royal to testify in open court since 1891.

The Duke of Sussex lambasted No 10 as part of his historic appearance in the witness box at the High Court in London this morning, and also referred to Paul Burrell as a ‘two-face s***’.

Harry, wearing a navy suit and dark purple tie, entered the witness box and swore an oath to tell the truth on the Bible.

Meddling in politics

In an astonishing trashing of the convention that royals avoid meddling in politics, Harry raged about the ‘state of our press and our government – both of which I believe are at rock bottom’.

The fifth in line to the throne has become the first senior royal to give evidence in one of the Monarch’s courts in 132 years, as he sues the Mirror’s publisher for alleged hacking, which it denies.

And as the world was captivated by Harry’s landmark appearance, he used his pulpit beneath the High Court coat of arms of his father the Sovereign to claim:

The duke, dressed in a white shirt, purple tie, and navy blue suit, arrived in a black Range Rover at the Royal Courts of Justice’s modern wing the Rolls Building. He stepped into the Court 15 witness box at 10.28am.

And in his most outspoken attack on the British Press yet, Harry demanded: ‘How much more blood will stain their typing fingers before someone can put a stop to this madness.’

The 38-year-old prince proclaimed he was motivated by wanting to ‘save journalism as a profession’.

Cross examination

During cross-examination today, Andrew Green KC, for MGN, asked Harry about part of his witness statement in which he states: ‘How much more blood will stain their typing fingers before someone can put a stop to this madness.’

Green asked if the duke meant ‘blood on their hands’ in relation to a specific article, and further asked him what he meant by it.

Harry said: ‘Some of the editors and journalists that are responsible for causing a lot of pain, upset and in some cases, speaking personally, death.’

He then said his reference to ‘blood on their hands’ was ‘more broadly towards the press’ in general, adding: ‘I haven’t named the journalists in that particular paragraph.’

He later suggested that his father King Charles may have been hacked.

Harry was questioned on a Mirror article titled ‘Harry’s cocaine, ecstasy and GHB parties’ - where Charles was describe as ‘worried sick’ but then ‘hugely relieved’ when told Harry had only used cannabis.

Harry said these words were attributed to his father as quotes. But Andrew Green, representing MGN, denied this, saying it was a ‘description of feelings’. Mr Green then asked if Harry believed Charles was a victim of phone hacking. - Agencies