Prince Harry, Elton John appear in UK court as hearing begins in privacy case

Pop superstar Elton John and Prince Harry have appeared at a London court on Monday, delivering a high-profile jolt to a privacy claim launched by celebrities and other figures against a UK's newspaper publisher.

The Duke of Sussex, who relocated to the US after quitting royal duties in 2020 and launched a barrage of criticism of the British royal family, was all smiles as he arrived at the court in central London.

Harry sat near the back of the court, two seats away from fellow complainant Frost. Others taking part in the legal action include actresses Liz Hurley as well as John´s husband David Furnish, Doreen Lawrence -- the mother of murder victim Stephen Lawrence -- and former Liberal Democrat deputy leader Simon Hughes.

Lawyers for the group told the court the publisher of the Daily Mail commissioned the breaking and entry into private property, illegally intercepted voicemail messages and obtained medical records.

"The claimants each claim that in different ways they were the victim of numerous unlawful acts carried out by the defendant, or by those acting on the instructions of its newspapers, The Daily Mail and The Mail On Sunday," lawyer David Sherborne said in written submissions to the court.

The alleged unlawful included "illegally intercepting voicemail messages, listening into live landline calls, obtaining private information, such as itemised phone bills or medical records, by deception..., using private investigators to commit these unlawful information gathering acts on their behalf and even commissioning the breaking and entry into private property", Sherborne said.

ANL has described the allegations as "preposterous smears" and a "pre-planned and orchestrated attempt to drag the Mail titles into the phone-hacking scandal".

Britain´s phone hacking scandal, which first blew up in 2006, saw journalists at the Rupert Murdoch-owned News of the World hack into the voicemails of royals, celebrities and murder victims.

A spokesperson for ANL also said the allegations were "unsubstantiated and highly defamatory claims, based on no credible evidence".

A four four-day preliminary hearing is being held at the high court with ANL arguing that the allegations are "stale" and should be dismissed without a trial.

Harry, the younger son of Britain´s King, has long had a difficult relationship with the media. His mother Princess Diana died in a car crash in Paris in 1997 after she and her companion, Dodi Fayed, left the Ritz Hotel pursued by paparazzi photographers.