In a recent development, the Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry, has been instructed by a High Court judge to clarify the reasons behind the deletion of certain messages that may be relevant to his legal case against News Group Newspapers (NGN), the publisher of the Sun. NGN, known for its publication of the now-defunct News of the World, had sought access to documents, emails, and messages in connection to Prince Harry's claims.

Prince Harry, along with more than 40 others, is suing the company over allegations of unlawful information-gathering conducted by journalists and private investigators employed by NGN. The trial is expected to commence in January 2025, with NGN firmly disputing the claims made against them.

Justice Timothy Fancourt noted that there was evidence suggesting the destruction of "potentially relevant documents" and "confidential messages" between the prince and the ghostwriter of his autobiography, Spare, during the period between 2021 and 2023. These messages, exchanged with writer JR Moehringer on the Signal messaging app, may have involved discussions about unlawful information gathering by newspapers.

While NGN's legal team accused Prince Harry of "obfuscation," the duke's barrister, David Sherborne, stated in written arguments that Prince Harry had not engaged in discussions about unlawful information gathering through text or WhatsApp with anyone, and that his Signal messages had been "wiped."

Consequently, Judge Fancourt ruled in favor of conducting a wider search of Prince Harry's laptop, text messages, and WhatsApp conversations, spanning from 2005 to early 2023. The court also ordered Prince Harry to provide a witness statement explaining the absence of messages with his ghostwriter, JR Moehringer.

In terms of costs, News Group was awarded two-thirds of its total expenses. However, Prince Harry's legal team is contesting the £132,000 bill, claiming it to be excessive for a one-day hearing.

This development follows NGN's previous attempts to force Prince Harry to disclose any information pertaining to his awareness of alleged unlawful behavior before the end of 2013. NGN argued that if the duke had prior knowledge of potential claims before this date, the case could be dismissed as being filed too late. In April, the court rejected NGN's request for a preliminary trial to determine the timing of Prince Harry's claims.

It is worth noting that NGN has previously settled over 1,300 lawsuits and paid out substantial amounts to the victims of phone hacking conducted by News of the World. Prince Harry's case against NGN is one of several legal challenges he has brought against sections of the British press.

To conclude, the outcome of this legal battle will determine the validity of Prince Harry's claims against News Group Newspapers. As the proceedings continue, the Duke of Sussex and his legal team are expected to provide further clarification on the deletion of messages and their stance regarding NGN's allegations of unlawful behavior.