Prince Harry: British press and government at rock bottom

Prince Harry has accused the property and the authorities of being astatine "rock bottom" successful his High Court privateness lawsuit against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN).

In a witnesser statement, Prince Harry said journalists were harming ideology by "getting into bed" with the authorities to "ensure the presumption quo".

He aboriginal gave grounds successful idiosyncratic successful the High Court.

MGN denies utilizing unlawful methods, including telephone hacking, to find retired delicate accusation astir him.

By appearing successful the witnesser stand, Harry has go the archetypal elder royal to springiness grounds successful a tribunal of instrumentality since the aboriginal Edward VII successful 1891.

In a written statement issued to the High Court, helium said: "Democracy fails erstwhile your property fails to scrutinise and clasp the authorities accountable, and alternatively take to get into furniture with them truthful they tin guarantee the presumption quo.

"In my view, successful bid to prevention journalism arsenic a profession, journalists request to exposure those radical successful the media that person stolen oregon highjacked the privileges and powers of the press, and person utilized amerciable oregon unlawful means for their ain summation and agendas.

"I consciousness that I request to marque definite that this unlawful behaviour is exposed, due to the fact that evidently I don't privation anybody other going done the aforesaid happening that I've been going done connected a idiosyncratic level.

"But besides connected a nationalist level as, astatine the moment, our state is judged globally by the authorities of our property and our Government - some of which I judge are astatine stone bottom."

Harry alleges astir 140 articles published betwixt 1996 and 2010 contained accusation gathered utilizing unlawful methods, and 33 of these person been selected to beryllium considered successful the tribunal case.

The 55-page connection is captious of the broader tabloid press, portion determination are besides circumstantial claims levelled against MGN - the steadfast of the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror and The People.

The Duke is bringing claims against the steadfast alongside Coronation Street actors Michael Turner - known professionally arsenic Michael Le Vell - and Nikki Sanderson, arsenic good arsenic Fiona Wightman, the ex-wife of comedian Paul Whitehouse.

The claimants allege unlawful methods were utilized to get accusation for stories and accidental elder executives indispensable person known astir it and failed to halt it, which MGN denies.

The steadfast has either denied oregon not admitted each of the claims. MGN besides argues that immoderate of the claimants person brought their ineligible enactment excessively late.