Daily Mail Royal Editor Denies Using Private Investigator to Target Prince Harry
The Daily Mail's royal editor, Rebecca English, has firmly denied allegations that she employed a private investigator to unlawfully obtain information about Prince Harry and his former girlfriends. This testimony came during a high-profile trial at the high court in London, where English was confronted with emails suggesting the investigator "went out on a limb" to assist her.
Emails Reveal Flight Details and Payment Discussions
During the proceedings, English was shown emails from Mike Behr, a South Africa-based private investigator she described as "a freelance journalist who could help on Africa stories." One email from December 2007 contained exact flight information for Chelsy Davy, who was in a relationship with Prince Harry at the time. The email, which also copied a journalist from the Sun, included flight details for a holiday Davy was taking with Harry and asked whether English and the Sun reporter "can plant someone next to her?"
David Sherborne, the lead barrister for the claimants, argued that this information "could only have been obtained from the computer system" of the airline, implying it was acquired through unlawful means, commonly referred to as "blagging." English responded that she did not remember the email and "did not ask" for such flight details, stating, "[Behr] was never asked for anything like this, ever. That is something I would never even consider doing, now or then."
Allegations of Unlawful Information Gathering
Prince Harry is one of seven claimants suing Associated Newspapers Ltd (ANL), the publisher of the Daily Mail, alleging that its journalists benefited from decades of unlawful information gathering. ANL denies all allegations, maintaining that all stories were obtained legitimately. English's name appears on six of the articles cited by Harry in the case.
Sherborne suggested that unlawfully obtained information was used in a story about a "make-or-break holiday" for Harry and Davy. English countered this, explaining that the information likely came from students at the University of Leeds, where Davy studied, "who were friends with Chelsy Davy and part of her circle."
Payment Disputes and Further Email Exchanges
Additional emails from 2006 showed Behr asking a Sun reporter whether he should "take the cost of the airline searches out" of money already paid, noting, "I've billed Rebecca £200 for half the cost so I am partly covered." English clarified that payments to Behr were made as a day rate, not for specific information.
In a 2014 email exchange, Behr expressed dissatisfaction with a £350 payment from English "for Harry work," stating it "simply doesn't cover the info provided. It's simply not worth it. I think you know exactly what I mean..." He later added that extra payment was warranted "not for time spent but for going out on a limb." English attributed these requests to Behr's difficult nature, noting he often pushed for more money during phone calls.
Sherborne interpreted these emails as Behr suggesting the payment "doesn't even cover the bribes he had to pay" for attempts to secure unlawfully obtained information related to Harry and his then-girlfriend, Cressida Bonas. English vehemently denied this, calling it "absolutely untrue" that she ever used Behr to obtain blagged information from hotels or airlines. She explained that the 2014 exchange related to monitoring a charity trek Harry was undertaking in Antarctica.
Ongoing Legal Battle
The case continues as part of a broader legal action against ANL, with Prince Harry and other claimants seeking accountability for alleged unlawful practices. English's testimony highlights the contentious nature of the allegations, with both sides presenting conflicting interpretations of the evidence. The outcome of this trial could have significant implications for media ethics and privacy laws in the UK.
