Duke of Sussex & Others v ANL: thread 2

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This is a continuation of the discussion on the previous thread:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/the_royal_family/5443044-duke-of-sussex-court-case-key-witness-statement-false?page=1

We are following the court case on the

I don't doubt some of the stuff they say is true but proving it was ANL and not the sun or mirror would be difficult. I think thats why they got confused on the stand as some of it was clearly reported elsewhere first

@binkie163, agreed. I don’t think the claimants appear to understand that they aren’t rerunning Leveson, and they must show evidence of ANL’s wrongdoing - specifically UIG - and not a more general ‘the press were massively immoral shits’.

Maybe they really didn’t pay attention to Leveson much in 2011-12, and the ANL/Mail’s position - but Sherborne, Grant and Harris definitely did.

The claimants were warned at the pre trial hearing in December that their insurance may not be enough to cover their liability

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/royal-family/2025/12/09/judge-warns-prince-harry-legal-costs-mail-case/

https://archive.is/BJTol

I don’t think the claimants appear to understand that they aren’t rerunning Leveson, and they must show evidence of ANL’s wrongdoing - specifically UIG - and not a more general ‘the press were massively immoral shits’.

They may not understand it, but my recollection is that they were expressly told it at a pre-trial hearing.

Hence Judge Nicklin's frustrated directions to SHerborne in court to move on to relevant questions.

Crossposting, @Lunde!

And yet they still went ahead on the basis of a witness statement which the alleged writer had already disowned years ago?

Please, someone ... make it make sense

Possibly they believe that ANL will settle mid-case if they all just hold their nerve? Or have been persuaded of this?

But that doesn’t explain why Doreen Lawrence is still on board when she knows she’s already given sworn evidence that the police were spying on her unlawfully.

No, I can’t make it make sense. I don’t want to think that DL is after ££. I want to believe she needs justice. But having said that, a raging desire for justice is sometimes churned into a psychological passion that needs tempering in the real world with an unwelcome dose of cold rationality.

How may more witnesses need to be questioned. Then what’s the process and timeline for the outcome?

Without wishing to cast aspersions against the investigators, they would then and it seems now do/say anything for money, why on earth would anyone believe a word they said....coz its the troof guvnor! or that they wouldnt switch allegiance to ANL for more money!
They seem a really unsavoury bunch, not the type you would risk £6 million on. I think those were the costs up to the hearing starting 3 weeks ago, god knows what it is at now. PP said sherborn bills his time at £1k an hour, he is making out like a bandit.

There are some ANL witnesses who are journalists, I believe, such as Katie Nicholl. Don’t know about the rest.

Then final written and oral submissions, I think.

Then adjourn for the judge to write his judgement. Could be months.

The claimants will be hoping all that time for a settlement offer.

I am somewhat relieved that I am not the only person confused!

Just did a Google - case scheduled to run until early April and then a written ruling issued by the judge weeks to months later ….. that’s a long time for everyone to sweat. Wonder if they are holding back from booking their summer holidays incase they get slapped with a fat legal bill.

I do wonder if it may finish earlier given how rapidly they are getting through testimonies.

The judge certainly seems keen to wrap up any unnecessary preamble.

I suspect, having previously won a case against police for spying on her, she was psychologically vulnerable to a suggestion that she had been hacked.

Why she then persisted, or whether she found herself in too deep to pull out, who knows?

Why would insurers pay out for a case where no solid evidence was presented? They must have a minimum standard themselves.

I think that it puts into context those e-mails from that were discussed in court a couple of weeks ago where he was demanding better results given all the money paid to PIs to be able to "sue the arse off" ANL

If this all goes horribly wrong for the claimants, I hope whoever coerced persuaded DL to throw her hat in the ring has the decency to pay her costs. I can't get my head round her decision, bearing in mind the long campaign pursued by the Mail to get justice for her son.

Also if Gavin Burrows doesn't testify - they must have set aside almost a week to cross examine the dodgy dossier

Gavin Burrows.....I read that as dodgy dosser 😂

Anyone know what happened today ?

It was Prince Harry who persuaded her to join the case in the testimony she gave in court. Harry called her personally to tell her that her name kept coming up in the evidence he's seen

Personally I think that Harry and Doreen were both duped to ensure maximum publicity for the case - I doubt there would be as much publicity for a showbiz celeb case with Liz Hurley, Sadie Frost, Elton and Simon Hughes

😂

I agree. I think Harry was an easy sell because the narrative is the one he wants to believe.

I agree - I think Harry thought to would be an easy victory (or settlement that they could claim as a victory) and as part of his anti-press campaign. He was probably already planning the press conference and interviews.

https://www.express.co.uk/news/royal/2170070/prince-harry-royal-family-latest

“When you were sitting in court and if you have that feeling of just overwhelming emotion because you can't believe that the people on the other side are saying what they're saying, that by the very nature of them defending what they're defending, the lies that they are stating, is devaluing life, is devaluing your children's lives, if that brings stuff up for you, it is totally normal.

"Do not feel ashamed, do not feel concerned. Even if the judge - as I heard - turned round and asked you not to show emotion."

harry said this to grieving parents!! 😡