OPINION — Prince Harry is back in London for what could be his David and Goliath moment as he takes on the publisher of the Daily Mail – possibly his most high-stakes and high-profile legal battle yet.
But this time, things are different for the Duke of Sussex.
Due to take the stand this Thursday, it might be the only time the 41-year-old makes any kind of statement for a while.
Harry faces what could be his David and Goliath moment as he takes on the publisher of the Daily Mail. (Getty)
That’s because Prince Harry has a lot to consider this year when it comes to his future: he wants to reconcile with the royal family and he appears determined to do just that.
He has a lot at stake and needs to keep his head down.
In just over a year’s time, Harry will bring his beloved Invictus Games back to the UK – expected to be the duke’s biggest undertaking on home soil since he and Meghan officially departed in 2020.
Prince Harry knows the success of the event will be determined by the support he receives from his father, King Charles. When the games were first held in the UK, in 2014, Harry was joined by Charles and Prince William.
READ MORE: Royals unite for funeral of beloved princess
READ MORE: Brooklyn Beckham breaks silence on family feud
READ MORE: Queen Mary to visit Australia this year, PM reveals
Prince Harry was in court on Monday for day one of the trial and is expected to take to the stand on Thursday. (AP)
A snub from the King and Prince of Wales during the event’s long-awaited return would be the ultimate betrayal for Harry.
The duke remains largely estranged from his brother and he has a lot of work to do to get William back on his side.
In September last year Prince Harry met with his father, face to face, for the first time in 19 months in what was seen as a major step towards improved relations between the royal family and the Sussexes.
King Charles was in Scotland on Monday as his youngest son returned to a London courtroom. (Getty)
Months earlier, in May, the duke told the BBC he was intent on ending the long-running feud with his family.
“There’s no point continuing to fight any more, life is precious,” he said.
But Prince Harry’s presence in court this time around is likely to have the royal family on edge.
King Charles and Prince William, and the wider royal household, will be hoping Prince Harry does not drag them into this court case through evidence given on the stand.
In a sign of just how much they are distancing themselves from Prince Harry’s latest battle, King Charles is not expected to see his son while in the UK this time around. Prince William has his own busy diary of engagements.
Prince Harry returned to London for the nine-week trial, which began on Monday in the High Court, but he’s likely to keep his head down and focus on little else.
Prince Harry is appearing as a witness in the civil case, alongside other claimants including Sir Elton John and Liz Hurley.
In 2014, at the inaugural Invictus Games in London, Harry was supported by his father and brother. (WireImage)
It was October, 2022, when Prince Harry first lodged the claims with the court. The publishers of the Daily Mail have rejected the allegations as “preposterous”.
It is his third major court battle accusing newspaper groups of unlawful behaviour to gather information.
In January, 2025, Prince Harry reached a settlement with News Group Newspapers (NGN) – the publishers of The Sun – and secured an apology for “serious intrusion” into his private life.
And in December 2023, he won his case against the Mirror Group Newspapers, receiving £140,600 in damages, a fraction of the £440,000 he had originally sought. The judge had found “compelling evidence” that the editors of each Mirror newspaper “knew very well” that phone hacking was being used.
Prince Harry and Meghan returned to the UK in September 2022 for charity events. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
Prince Harry was in a different place, mentally, back in 2023.
He made history by becoming the first royal to give evidence in court in more than 100 years during the case against the Mirror Group.
Earlier that year, Prince Harry’s bombshell memoir Spare was published which saw him make numerous damaging claims against the royal family.
Just one month before the book’s release, he and Meghan appeared in their controversial docu-series on Netflix which saw the royal rift dominate headlines around the world.
This current trial is Prince Harry’s last against the British newspapers.
And he knows things must be different once it’s over – regardless of the outcome.
He has previously expressed his desire to return to the UK for more charity-focused engagements and this year he is due to host an event marking one year until the Invictus Games.
One barrier to Prince Harry’s return has always been the issue of security but a review is currently underway.
Prince Harry’s security review could see him take his children back to the UK for the first time since 2022. (Instagram/meghan)
Prince Harry said last year that “I think that it’s really quite sad that I won’t be able to show my children my homeland”.
Prince Archie, six, and Princess Lilibet, four, have barely seen their royal relatives and this could all change in 2026.
In May, Harry lost a legal battle with the government over the right to automatic taxpayer-funded police protection when he’s in the UK.
But in December, it was revealed that the duke had won a full security risk assessment, the first time this will happen in six years.
Inside the private life Harry and Meghan gave up royalty for
The findings are due sometime in late January and could pave the way for Prince Harry to return to the UK with his children for the first time since June, 2022.
Prince Harry could finally get his long-sought reconciliation with his estranged family and King Charles could get to know his American grandchildren better.
At a time of the year when so many are making resolutions – and trying to stick to them – Prince Harry is no doubt hoping 2026 will make the beginning of a new chapter for his family.
His time in court this time around may feel familiar to many outside observers, but for Harry it could not be more different.
FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE: Stay across all the latest in celebrity, lifestyle and opinion via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.