Prince Harry‘s phone-hacking trial has dug deeper into sensitive aspects of the royal’s life, reviving wild theories portraying James Hewitt as his real father. On Tuesday, June 6, 2023, the Duke of Sussex took to the stands at the High Court in the UK to continue his phone hacking trial against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN), whom he is suing for damages. The lawsuit involving several complainants stems from articles the company previously published using information unlawfully obtained from various public figures over the years.
Several claimants, including Prince Harry, proceeded to sue MGN for the unlawful act. However, the court ordered only four of the claimants to represent the larger group as test cases in the trial in London. One of these test cases involves the second son of the late Princess Diana. The trial commenced in early May 2023. However, Harry made his first, history-making appearance in the London court on Tuesday, June 6, 2023, making him the first royal in 130 years to give evidence in court.
The royal who sued MGN, publishers of the Daily Mirror, Sunday People, and Sunday Mirror is also taking on Rupert Murdoch’s News Group Newspapers and Associated Newspapers Ltd. on similar grounds. Prince Harry accused MGN of publishing up to 140 stories by obtaining information through phone hacking or other unlawful practices between 1991 and 2011. In line with the proceedings, the prince has openly blasted the British press, linking them to yet another scandal that has plagued him for decades — Prince Harry’s connection to James Hewitt— or the lack thereof.
The James Hewitt Paternity Rumors
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A 2002 article titled Plot to Rob the DNA of Harry, thrived on the theory that Major James Hewitt, Princess Diana’s riding instructor, was the real father of Prince Harry. The article released over a decade ago speculated that Diana had an affair with her riding instructor while still married to the now-reigning King of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth, King Charles III, who was then a prince. Per the article, the affair may have yielded Harry, who was passed off as King Charles’ son.
Many follow-up articles further blew up the theories, citing several physically similar attributes between Harry and James including their flaming red hair. Over a decade later, these wild speculations have taken root, so much so that many still ride on the wave, occasionally linking the Sussex royal to James.
Prince Harry Takes a Stand in the James Hewitt Rumors
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In a written statement released on June 6, 2023, Harry called out the 2002 publication. He explained how numerous newspapers have tagged him as Princess Diana’s love child with James. Further, the Prince established that Diana met James only after his birth, making it impossible for them to have had biological connections. While Harry admittedly discovered the timeline in 2014, several members of the British press already knew that for decades. Yet, the defendant’s journalists chose to keep pushing the false narrative for publicity. The implication took a negative toll on him, threatening his position within the royal family. Harry wrote:
“At the time, when I was 18 years old and had lost my mother just six years earlier, stories such as this felt very damaging and very real to me. They were hurtful, mean and cruel. I was always left questioning the motives behind the stories. Were the newspapers keen to put doubt into the minds of the public, so I might be ousted from the royal family?”
Prince Harry also called out the article’s author, Dean Rousewell, alleging she had a history of gathering information via unlawful techniques. Citing her article, the Prince expressed concerns that she attributed her claims to revelations from a highly placed royal source, writing,
“I’m not sure from where, or who, these comments were obtained from because they feel like a huge security risk, effectively putting a price on my DNA for anyone who could obtain it. I firmly do not believe that these are details anyone from within the palace would have shared, given the measures put in place for the security of all members of the royal family.”
By implication, Dean may not have had any royal source after all but acquired her information through unconventional means. Sadly, this ultimately fueled wild paternity rumors which the Prince has had to live with for decades.
Who Is Prince Harry’s Real Father?
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The Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry, came into the world on September 15, 1984, as the second child of Charles, the Prince of Wales (now King Charles III), and his first wife Princess Diana. At the time, Diana Spencer and the then-Prince of Wales were still married. They divorced in 1996, twelve years after his birth. Before their split, Princess Diana reportedly had a romantic affair with James Hewitt, which she admitted to during her controversial interview with BBC’s Martin Bashir in 1995.
Records show that James and Diana met for the first time in 1986 when Harry was already a toddler. Although their horse-riding lessons connected them initially, Diana admitted she fell in love with him, ultimately setting off the affair. Their romance ended in the early ’90s. This timeline makes it impossible for James Hewitt to be the real father of Prince Harry.
Yet, it appears that even the Prince’s only recognized biological dad, King Charles III, rode on the waves of the paternity drama. In his memoir, Spare, Prince Harry detailed his disturbing years growing up as the butt of the joke in the royal family, championed by his dad.
“Pa liked telling stories, and this was one of the best in his repertoire. He’d always end with a burst of philosophizing, ‘Who knows if I’m really the Prince of Wales? Who knows if I’m even your real father?'”
Image Source: The Sussex Royals/Instagram
According to Harry, his dad enjoyed making these jokes and laughing about them. Harry didn’t consider it funny, especially with the prevailing rumors which had become his reality. James’ reaction to the paternity rumors wasn’t as jovial. In 2002, he released a statement clarifying his relationship with Diana, and establishing that there was no possibility of him being Prince Harry’s real father.
Why the Paternity Rumors Continue to Thrive
Apparently, James’ statement did little to quelch the rumors. In 2017, he addressed the rumors again during his appearance on an Australian TV show. Asked if he could be Harry’s dad, he bluntly replied no, adding that the press only promoted the obvious facade because “it sells papers.” James also proved empathetic to Harry’s situation, acknowledging that the repercussions of the press’ misrepresentation are even worse for the Prince.
Sure enough, it has been, as Prince Harry never fails to point out, especially amid his fallout with the British royal family since stepping back from his duties as a senior royal alongside his wife Meghan Markle. During his now-concluded cross-examination at his phone hacking trial in London, Harry admitted that not just the 2002 article, but every single article written about his personal life by the press has caused him distress.
After several years, it’s a no-brainer that if there was any truth to these rumors, some sort of confirmation would have surfaced about the whole royal family scandal. Yet, these claims remain mere rumors, validating James Hewitt’s theory that the press only lets these rumors thrive because it attracts readers.
A passionate writer with a knack for all things entertainment, always seeking creative ways to put those passions into words. Judith enjoys exploring the hottest gist in the world of celebrities, TV, and style.
