Prince Harry says tabloids have ‘blood on their hands’ in historic testimony

Prince Harry has said that tabloid editors have “blood on their hands” as he spoke of the impact that newspaper articles had on his life and on his late mother, Diana, the Princess of Wales.

Harry made the accusation as he became the first high-ranking member of the British royal family to appear as a witness in court in 130 years, taking the stand Tuesday in London’s High Court to give evidence against the publishers of Britain’s Daily Mirror tabloid newspaper.

The prince and others have accused Mirror Group Newspapers of obtaining information about them illegally, through phone hacking and other unlawful methods. The Mirror Group has said it used documents, public statements and sources to legally report on the prince.

“How much more blood will stain their typing fingers before someone can put a stop to this madness?” Mirror Group’s lawyer, Andrew Green, quoted Harry as saying.

After being sworn in holding a Bible in one hand and wearing a dark suit and tie, Harry, who appeared soft-spoken at times, said he was referring to “some of the editors and journalists that are responsible for causing a lot of pain, upset and in some cases, speaking personally, death.”

The royal arrived at the High Court in London in a black SUV, entering via a modern wing and past dozens of TV cameras and photographers. The courtroom was full, and the spillover room also filled to capacity with members of the public.

The decision to allow himself to be cross-examined is a major step in what has been a long-running campaign against the tabloid press, with the Duke of Sussex holding the paparazzi culpable in the 1997 death of his mother, Princess Diana.

He has also accused the British media of racism in its coverage and hounding of his wife, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, which prompted the couple to leave royal life and move to America.

The Duke of Sussex said the impact tabloid reporting has had on his life has been long-lasting.

“As a child at school these articles were incredibly invasive,” he said, asserting that reports also had an effect on those around him, including his mother.

In his witness statement, he also described how, particularly as a teenager and in his early 20s, he felt compelled to play “up to a lot of the headlines and stereotypes.”

“In my experience as a member of the royal family, each of us gets cast into a specific role by the tabloid press,” Harry said. “You start off as a blank canvas while they work out what kind of person you are and what kind of problems and temptations you might have.”

“They then start to edge you towards playing the role or roles that suit them best and which sells as many newspapers as possible, especially if you are the ‘spare’ to the ‘heir,’” he said.

“You’re then either the ‘playboy prince,’ the ‘failure,’ the ‘drop out’ or, in my case, the ‘thicko,’ the ‘cheat,’ the ‘underage drinker,’ the ‘irresponsible drug taker,’” Harry added.

His testimony comes after the royal failed to show up for the opening day of proceedings on Monday. His lawyer, David Sherborne, said in court that the prince only left California on Sunday evening after celebrating the birthday of his 2-year-old daughter, Lilibet.

The royal’s attendance before would therefore be “tricky,” he said.

The judge, Timothy Fancourt, said he was “surprised” by Harry’s absence, while Green, said it was “absolutely extraordinary” that Harry was a no-show.

This story originally appeared on NBCNews.com.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com