Prince Harry arrived in the United Kingdom earlier this week with a single purpose: to attend the opening of a High Court case that has taken years to reach trial. The Duke of Sussex returned to London as proceedings began at the Royal Courts of Justice in a lawsuit against Associated Newspapers Ltd., the publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday.

The case centres on allegations that the publisher engaged in unlawful information-gathering practices, including phone hacking, the use of private investigators and other covert methods to obtain personal information. Associated Newspapers has denied all claims, stating that its reporting has always been carried out lawfully and within accepted journalistic standards.

Photo: Getty images

Harry is one of several prominent claimants bringing the case. Others include Sir Elton John and his husband David Furnish, actresses Elizabeth Hurley and Sadie Frost, former Liberal Democrat MP Simon Hughes, and Baroness Doreen Lawrence, a long-standing campaigner whose son Stephen Lawrence was murdered in a racist attack in 1993. The group argues that they were targeted through what they describe as intrusive and illegal practices, carried out over extended periods without their knowledge.

The trial is expected to run for up to nine weeks, according to court schedules, and will be overseen by Mr Justice Nicklin. Some of the allegations are said to date back to the late 1990s and early 2000s, a factor that has already raised complex legal questions around limitation periods and the availability of evidence. Harry’s legal team maintains that the methods allegedly used were deliberately concealed, preventing earlier challenges.

This case forms part of a broader pattern in Harry’s legal dealings with the British press. In 2023, he secured a High Court victory against Mirror Group Newspapers, where the court found evidence of unlawful information gathering and awarded damages. A separate claim against another publisher was later resolved through a settlement.

Together, these actions have positioned Harry as one of the most legally active public figures challenging historic tabloid practices in the UK.

Photo: Getty images

Harry is expected to give evidence early in the proceedings. The trial will hear testimony from journalists, editors and investigators connected to the publications involved, with arguments likely to focus not only on individual incidents but also on newsroom culture and decision-making during the period in question.

Legal specialists say the case will be closely examined for its potential implications. Beyond the personal claims, it raises questions about how far courts are prepared to scrutinise past media conduct and how privacy laws apply to practices that were once widespread but are now heavily restricted.

Harry’s presence in London reflects the weight he attaches to the case. This is not a symbolic appearance or a brief return, but a deliberate engagement with a legal process that could influence how historic tabloid behaviour is assessed and challenged in the UK today.

Brooklyn Beckham has publicly addressed his relationship with his parents, Sir David Beckham and Victoria Beckham, in a statement posted on social media this week. The 26-year-old said he felt compelled to speak out after years of speculation and media coverage about his personal life. He described ongoing tensions and said he had created distance from his family in order to gain clarity about his own life and marriage.

In the statement, Brooklyn said he had previously tried to keep private matters out of the public eye but felt pushed to respond after repeated media commentary about him and his wife, Nicola Peltz Beckham. He denied rumours that Nicola controlled him and said he himself had at times felt controlled by his parents.

Photo: Instagram

Brooklyn outlined specific grievances he said contributed to the strain in his family relationships. These included his mother withdrawing from designing Nicola’s wedding dress at the last minute, what he described as pressure to sign away rights to his name before the 2022 wedding, and comments made about Nicola’s place in the family on the night before their ceremony. He also said that members of his family made remarks during his wedding that he found inappropriate.

According to Brooklyn, these incidents, among others, led to a deterioration in his relationship with his parents and siblings. He said that he has since been estranged from them and that some family members have blocked him on social media.

Photo: Instagram

Brooklyn added that stepping back from these dynamics has improved his well-being and allowed him and Nicola to focus on building a private life together, separate from media scrutiny.

The background of this public dispute stretches back several years, with reports of tension emerging around Brooklyn and Nicola’s relationship, wedding arrangements, and other personal matters. Until now, Brooklyn had not publicly confirmed or detailed these disagreements.

Photo: Instagram

Neither David nor Victoria Beckham has issued a formal response to Brooklyn’s statement. In late 2025, David shared photographs of his children with a message of love but did not directly address the estrangement with his eldest son.

Brooklyn’s account offers one of the clearest explanations yet from a member of the Beckham family regarding their internal difficulties and marks a rare departure from the discretion the family has traditionally maintained in public.

A$AP Rocky marked the arrival of Don’t Be Dumb with an intimate release gathering in New York, the focus stayed where it belonged: the music at the center of the night. Yet, as expected, Rihanna’s presence subtly expanded the conversation. Not by pulling attention away from the night, but by showing how style can function as a form of simple support.

Rocky’s return to a full-length project after years of anticipation was significant. In that setting, Rihanna’s appearance felt carefully thought through offering a reminder that showing up for your partner’s work moment requires awareness as much as personal expression.

Rihanna: Backgrid

She chose a softly cut, floor-length slip dress in a warm, burnished tone, layered with a cropped bomber that added structure to the soft shape. The styling struck a deliberate balance: confident, assured, and unmistakably hers, while respecting the professional tone of the event. The lace detail, simple accessories, and layered pieces made the outfit feel distinctly hers.

Rocky Rocky interpreted street-luxury style with leather outerwear, relaxed tailoring, winter accessories that felt functional rather than decorative. The looks complemented each other naturally, without seeming coordinated.

Photo: Backgrid

What made the moment memorable was not celebrity visibility, but clarity of intent. Rihanna didn’t dress to dominate the room or redirect attention. She dressed as a partner fully aware of the significance of the night present, supportive, and attuned to the tone of the evening.

That, more than the clothes themselves, was the takeaway from the night.