Prince Harry Testifies About ‘Absolute Misery’ Meghan Markle Endured In Daily Mail Trial

Prince Harry marked his return to the U.K. by taking the stand in the privacy case against Associated Newspapers Limited, which publishes the Daily Mail, and his emotional testimony highlighted the toll the media outlet’s reports took on his wife, Meghan Markle.

On Wednesday, January 21, Prince Harry was visibly emotional as he gave his highly-anticipated testimony in the privacy case against the outlet that has published countless stories and unfounded claims about the couple throughout the years.

Prince Harry Did Not Mince Words As He Recounted The Impact On His Wife

According to The Independent, Prince Harry was on the verge of tears as he recalled Meghan Markle’s mental state due to the Daily Mail’s reports. “They continue to come after me. They have made my wife’s life an absolute misery, my Lord,” he said while on the witness stand.

Per the outlet, he shared that he initially considered legal action against the constant media intrusion into his personal life after he and Markle began dating back in 2016.

Written evidence from Prince Harry was also presented at the High Court trial, in which he elaborated on his decision to handle the situation in court.

“I started to become increasingly troubled by the approach of not taking action against the press in the wake of vicious persistent attacks on, harassment of and intrusive, sometimes racist articles concerning Meghan,” he reportedly said.

Other Notable British Figures Are Also Included In The Case

In addition to Prince Harry, Sir Elton John, his husband David Furnish, Elizabeth Hurley, Sadie Frost, and politician Sir Simon Hughes are all part of the high-profile privacy case that is expected to last nine weeks.

They are all collectively accusing Associated Newspapers Limited of alleged unlawful information gathering, which the publishing company has denied.

Prince Harry Rejected Claims That His Inner Circle Was Responsible For Leaking Stories

While on the stand, he shot down claims that his “leaky” social circle is responsible for the stories printed about him and Markle, as they allegedly gave journalists insider information, according to The Guardian.

Prince Harry said that the constant reporting on him and his wife is due to the outlet’s “obsession” with digging into his personal life and that all the information they obtained about him was through unlawful efforts.

Additionally, he also fired back at allegations that he thanked the Royal Editor of the Daily Mail following a previous interview, implying that his relationship with the outlet was not as contentious as his testimony revealed.

Prince Harry explained the situation, stating, “We were forced to work with [them], we had to have some kind of relationship with them.”

Prince Harry And His Legal Team Expressed Optimism And Confidence Prior To His Testimony

A spokesperson for Prince Harry exclusively told PEOPLE that he is “feeling confident and ready” to take on the High Court proceedings in his long-standing privacy lawsuit against the publisher of the Daily Mail.

An inside source also shared additional details with the outlet about Prince Harry’s mindset ahead of testifying. “This is the culmination of what has been years of litigation. He sees this as an injustice that needs to be righted," the source said.

“People often don’t have the means to stand up to the might of the British tabloid media," the insider added. "But he is a fortunate man in that he is a man of means and has the ability to do this, and he has the will and strength of character to take them on. He sees it in the sense that if he doesn’t do it, who will?”

Meghan Markle Is Dealing With Her Own Issues In The States

According to Page Six, Meghan Markle’s unscripted Netflix lifestyle series “With Love, Meghan” will not return to the streamer for a third season.

“It’s not returning as a series. There have been conversations about holiday specials, but there’s nothing in the works yet,” an inside source shared with the outlet on Tuesday, January 20.

“People will see similar cooking and crafting on Meghan’s socials for the brand, but more bite-sized,” an additional source added, also revealing that Markle will now devote her focus to her lifestyle brand, As Ever.