Today's proceedings in Prince Harry's court docket battle in opposition to the Daily Mirror writer have been spiky from the beginning.
Conscious he had simply half a day left to query and in the end try and undermine the Duke of Sussex, the paper's barrister, Andrew Green KC (King's Counsel), got straight to business - there was no time for pleasantries.
His first phrases have been: "Prince Harry, we are now on the 22nd article."
The prince interjected: "Good morning, Mr Green".
The pair went on to spar for a number of hours, it was well mannered however prickly.
Harry in court - as it happened
British royalty versus the very best echelons of the British authorized system - Andrew Green is a KC, a place to which senior barristers recognised for his or her excellence are appointed.
This was the King's son versus a King's Counsel, half two.
The duke additionally mentioned "good morning" to these of us ready outdoors court docket 15 and seemed relaxed as he walked in.
If he was jet-lagged from his daughter's second celebration adopted by a flight from the US West Coast, he hid it effectively.
He puffed out his cheeks as he entered the witness field at this time. Clearly this expertise has been draining, however he was fast to smile to acquainted faces within the room.
The duke, like everybody else within the room, bowed when the decide, Mr Justice Fancourt, entered. It is courtroom protocol.
Mirror lawyer exasperated
Speaking on to the decide is just not. It resulted in an exasperated Green, representing Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN), saying: "Could I ask the questions?"
He would later go on to say: "Can I just repeat what I said to you yesterday. This isn't about you asking me questions, this is about me asking you questions."
Green took a extra combative method at this time, however Harry was additionally extra assertive. In a tense alternate, Green requested the royal: "Can you accept lack of phone data suggests you were not hacked by any MGN journalist?"
The prince shook his head and defiantly replied: "Absolutely not".
Green was fast to comply with up: "If the court finds that you were not hacked by MGN, would you be relieved or disappointed?"
Harry mentioned cellphone hacking was "on an industrial scale across three of the papers at the time" and that he "would feel an injustice, if it wasn't accepted".
Green's follow-up was: "So you want to have been phone hacked?" Harry's response was solemn: "Nobody wants to be phone-hacked, my lord."
'Realm of hypothesis'
Repeatedly over the previous two days, Green has declared: "We are in the realm of speculation."
Harry was all the time fast to counter - on one event saying: "Well no, I don't believe my girlfriend would have given the Mirror Group her number".
He later advised the court docket, when answering questions from his personal barrister: "For my whole life, the press misled me, covered up the wrongdoing, and sitting here in court knowing that the defence has the evidence in front of them and for Mr Green to suggest I'm speculating… I'm not sure what to say about that."
No one enjoys speaking about their ex. Prince Harry was grilled on his relationship along with his, Chelsy Davy, for a lot of hours.
Details of a go to to a strip membership which led to a row between the couple was poured over. Prince Harry mentioned Ms Davy "now has her own family and this process is as distressing for her as it is for me".
Harry appeared weary
By coming to the witness field, Harry has needed to undergo every of the 33 articles one after the other - you can see on his face that he discovered it emotionally draining.
He seemed weary discussing his previous relationships.
He advised the court docket: "It was distressing going through this process and I would say more distressing sitting here having to go through it all again."
He seemed pained when saying one other former girlfriend, Caroline Flack, "was no longer with us".
On a number of events, Green requested Harry whose cell phone was hacked for every of the 33 tales this case centered on.
Harry replied: "I'm not sure as the evidence has been destroyed."
He went on to say "there was an industrial scale of destruction of evidence" by MGN.
Seven gruelling hours
It's an allegation that's strongly denied by the publishers. He then described the "abuse, intrusion and hate" directed at himself and his spouse, Meghan, extra just lately.
After seven gruelling hours of cross-examination by Green, Harry's lawyer David Sherborne requested his consumer how he felt.
He'd been within the witness field for a day and a half, giving proof in open court docket, in entrance of the world's media, on his private life.
Harry paused. "It's a lot", he mentioned, with an uncomfortable smile and a flushed face.
His voice cracked when he answered the decide's follow-up query.
The prince then left the witness field, however not the courtroom. He was desperate to hearken to the proof of the following witness - Jane Kerr, former royal editor on the Mirror.
Read extra:Ex-Mirror royal journalist denies 'closing her eyes' to alleged unlawful activitiesWho is Jane Kerr? Former Mirror royal editor giving evidenceDuke was calm on day one
Harry took a seat subsequent to his solicitors. He puffed out his cheeks, clearly drained, and briefly places his arms on his face.
It was now his barrister David Sherborne's flip to query a witness for the Mirror.
Kerr's byline is on 10 out of the 33 articles being thought of by the court docket.
His cross-examination of Kerr had a spicy begin, saying: "You didn't want to come to court today, did you?"
She replied: "No, I didn't." He said the "court ordered you to come".
Sherborne mentioned the reporter commissioned non-public investigators on 900 totally different events whereas engaged on the Mirror's newsdesk. She insisted this was an everyday a part of her duties on the newspaper.
Sherborne's questioning of the previous royal editor was strong.
At one level, Andrew Green KC stood as much as object to his line of questioning and described it as "an ambush". The decide mentioned it was "not an ambush".
Ms Kerr will proceed giving proof tomorrow.
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While we've completed listening to from Prince Harry straight, there's nonetheless greater than a fortnight of this trial to run.
The decide will then resolve, on the stability of chances, on an end result.
As it is a civil case - that may very well be monetary, referred to as damages. But for Prince Harry, it is clear - this wasn't about cash.
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