Prince Harry hacking claim is 'Alice in Wonderland stuff', The Sun lawyers say

Prince Harry's assertion that a concealed royal woody stopped him suing The Sun's owners for telephone hacking is "Alice successful Wonderland stuff", the newspaper's lawyers person said.

News Group Newspapers wants to halt his claim, saying helium ran retired of clip to writer for alleged privateness breaches.

The royal says helium delayed suing due to the fact that royal aides struck a woody with the tabloid's owners to person an apology.

His lawsuit against the Sun is 1 of 3 damages claims helium is pursuing.

In April, lawyers for News Group Newspapers (NGN), the owners of The Sun and the News of the World, which was closed down implicit hacking, asked the High Court to halt the Duke of Sussex's damages claim.

They argued helium had waited longer than a ineligible deadline of six years to statesman his action.

The duke's lawyers accidental that successful 2012, NGN had promised to royal aides that helium and Prince William would yet person an apology for alleged breaches of their privateness - and they agreed that would travel aft the media empire had resolved different claims against its newspapers.

But the tribunal heard that during 2017 and 2018, determination had been a bid of e-mails betwixt Buckingham Palace and NGN executives implicit however and erstwhile to resoluteness the "unfinished business" - the proposition being that the Royal Family was moving retired of patience.

Prince Harry's lawyers accidental a deficiency of advancement connected an apology and compensation prompted him to motorboat his ain damages assertion successful 2019.

But warring backmost astatine the High Court connected Wednesday, Anthony Hudson KC, for NGN, said it was "Alice successful Wonderland stuff" to suggest that these emails amounted to grounds of an agreement.

"He is seeking to trust connected an statement that progressively seems to beryllium specified a concealed statement that cipher different than the claimant knows thing astir it," helium said.

"The logic is that the [purported secret] statement meant that NGN would settee oregon admit the case. [Prince Harry] doesn't accidental who... was progressive successful making this precise important agreement. No grounds astir that astatine all.

"He does not accidental who astatine NGN... entered into this precise important statement different than the all-encompassing and vague operation 'senior executives'.

"There is simply a gaping spread successful the claimant's case... this is Alice successful Wonderland stuff.

"There's not a azygous shred of evidence."

Mr Justice Fancourt is expected to regularisation connected the aboriginal of Prince Harry's assertion successful the coming months.