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Opinion: 'Prince Harry is giving up what he values the most in his fight against the tabloid press'

By Natalie Oliveri|

O?PINION -- When the Duke of Sussex appears in the the witness stand this week, he'll be faced with a level of scrutiny like never before.

While Prince Harry has been sharing personal details about the royal family for several years now since stepping back from official duties with Meghan in 2020, such ?claims have been on his terms only.

Now, the 38-year-old is opening himself up to a form of questioning n?o royal has faced in 132 years.

He's going completely against the mantra employed by his late grandmother throughout her 70-year reign: never complain, never explain.

READ MORE: The stories at the centre of Prince Harry's latest tabloid fight

Prince Harry and Meghan on the eve of their announcement they were stepping back from public life in 2020. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

And he's said to be going ?against the wishes of his father, King Charles III.

By giving evidence in London's High Court in his latest fight against the tabloid press, Prince Harry will lift the veil of mystery that has shrouded the royal family for more than 100 years.

READ MORE: A deep dive inside Prince Harry's strained relationship with the press

He'll be faced with some of the toughest questions he's ever had to answer, on subjects that could prove to be difficult: his childhood, the death of his mother, his past relationships, his partying days and the treatment of his wife Meghan at the hands of the press.

But for Harry, it'll be worth it.

He's determined to have his day in court in what has become his life's mission.

Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex with their children Archie and Lilibet photographed for their 2021 Christmas card.
Prince Harry has been arguing for greater freedom for his family, away from the prying eyes of the press. (Instagram/alexilubomirski/DukeandDuchessofSussex)

The duke wants to reform the British press, which he blames in part for the death of his mother, the breakdown of past relationships and the paranoia he suffered as a teenager when he suspected close friends had betrayed him by leaking stories to the media.

Now, he and his legal team argue many of those stories actually came about via phone hacking and the illegal interception of voice mails.

In choosing to appear in the witness box in court, Prince Harry is taking his biggest risk yet. He'll likely have to give up what he holds dearest: his privacy.

The duke has long argued part of the reason he walked away from royal life was to ensure privacy for himself and his family, a claim that has been questioned after he and Meghan's Oprah interview and later his tell-all memoir, Spare.

Then, Harry was able to shape the narrative to fit his own agenda.

This time, the duke will have to answer questions by seasoned legal experts employed by the Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN), defending his claims.

Prince Harry has previously compared Meghan's treatment by the press to how his mother Diana fared. (STUFF Pool, Jason Dorday)

What could emerge are deeply uncomfortable details of Harry's private life not yet out in the public domain.

It could further expose Meghan to more criticism and ridicule, something the image-conscious duchess would be keen to avoid at all costs.

?For Harry, though, his life's work appears to have been gravitating towards this very moment in the witness stand, something that could take three days including cross examination.

READ MORE:? Prince Harry to make history by giving evidence in court tomorrow

The move could either backfire for Harry, seen as just another ?example of him playing the victim, it it could see him applauded for his bravery in taking a stand against the media, the duke taking one for the team as he fights for press reform.

Either way, it'll be a risk for Prince Harry.

Details of the case will be made public, fuelling an insatiable appetite for stories about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, of which there appears to be never-ending interest.

Prince Harry will appear in the witness stand in London's High Court this week. (Belinda Jiao/Getty Images)

The royal family was able to avoid embarrassment when Prince Andrew reached an out-of-court settlement with Virginia Giuffre in February 2022, avoiding the civil case going to trial.

The Duke of York had been expected to be called as a witness in the sex abuse case, a move the royal family no doubt would have been dreading.?

Several years after his disastrous BBC Newsnight interview, Prince Andrew is still plagued by headlines resulting from that grilling.?

READ MORE: King Charles to offload beloved Welsh home under property shakeup

While Harry's legal battles are vastly different, ?there is potential for him to say something he might later regret.

He's already thrown his brother under the bus by revealing Prince William ?had reached a private settlement with the News Group Newspapers in a separate case.

Harry previously said the royal family had assiduously avoided the courts to prevent testifying about matters that might be embarrassing.

Prince Harry previously revealed his brother had reached a financial settlement with another media group. (Getty)

Prince Harry has the money and the determination to keep fighting for what he believes is right.

He's also trying to fight for his mother beyond the grave, taking up a crusade she was unable to change during her short life.

?Harry has previously compared Meghan's treatment by the press to that of Princess Diana as he strives to protect his family from what his mother, and he and Prince William, had to endure many years ago.

But in doing so, he's likely to lift the lid on his private life like never before.

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