The Duke of Sussex could be called to the stand as his lawsuit against a tabloid newspaper over phone hacking allegations will go to trial this May.
Harry is one of a number of high-profile figures bringing damages claims against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) over alleged unlawful information gathering at its titles.
Other celebrities involved in the case include the singer and former Girls Aloud member Cheryl, the estate of the late singer George Michael, ex-footballer and television presenter Ian Wright and actor Ricky Tomlinson.
The trial is due to begin on 9 May and last for six to seven weeks, and four or five "representative" claimants were selected as "test cases" at a hearing in London on Wednesday.
© Photo: Getty ImagesHarry first launched the claim in 2019
There's a chance that Harry may be called to the witness box in person at the trial, which will take place just days after his father King Charles's coronation.
Although the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have received an invitation to the coronation, they have not confirmed whether they will fly to London from the US for the ceremony.
At Wednesday's hearing, Mr Justice Fancourt ruled that Harry's claim should be one of those tried, saying it was an "obvious selection because his claim covers an extensive period of time and 24 private investigators.
The court heard earlier on Wednesday that the Duke's case is that 148 articles published between 1996 and 2010 included information that was allegedly obtained through unlawful means, including phone hacking.
The judge said the number of articles to be considered at trial should be reduced to about 33.
He said Harry's case is also one which “will not settle”, on the basis of what he has read and heard in court, adding: “So it will have to be tried at some stage and might as well be tried now."
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© Photo: Getty ImagesCheryl's case will also be heard in the trial
David Sherborne, representing the claimants, said Harry would be the only witness in his claim.
The other claimants selected for trial are former Coronation Street actress Nikki Sanderson, comedian Paul Whitehouse’s ex-wife Fiona Wightman and actor Michael Turner.
MGN is contesting the claims, arguing that some have been brought too late.
The publisher of titles including The Mirror, The Sunday Mirror and The Sunday People, MGN has previously settled a number of claims against it in relation to unlawful information gathering, as has News Group Newspapers (NGN) – the publisher of the now-defunct News Of The World and The Sun – in a separate ongoing legal action.
Additional reporting by PA.
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