The Prince Harry Files

Tom Borman, LawFuel contributing editor

In media law, where celebrities clash with tabloids and royals battle publishers, one name stands out like a perfectly coiffed beacon: David Sherborne, the barrister who has just won a major victory for Prince Harry against Mirror Group Newspapers.

This “barrister to the stars” has become as much a fixture in the courtroom who we wrote about here in 2020 as he has in the gossip columns, defending the rich and famous with a flair that’s part legal genius, part showmanship.

The Man, The Myth, The Mane

Sherborne, affectionately dubbed “Orange Sherbet” by his colleagues (a nod to his perpetual tan and wind-swept auburn locks), is the go-to guy for anyone who’s ever graced the cover of Hello! magazine and found themselves in legal hot water.

With a client list that reads like a rolodex of the A-list world, Sherborne has represented everyone from the late Princess Diana to Johnny Depp, proving that in the world of defamation and privacy law, he’s the ultimate power player.

But don’t let the celebrity associations fool you. Sherborne’s legal chops are as impressive as his hair game. A product of UCS Hampstead and Oxford (where he nabbed a first-class honors in classics), Sherborne was called to the bar in 1992 and quickly made a name for himself in the cutthroat world of media law.

Sherborne’s career has been a rollercoaster of high-profile cases and headline-grabbing moments. He’s the legal mastermind behind landmark privacy cases like Douglas v Hello! and has been at the forefront of the phone-hacking scandal, representing hundreds of victims against media giants.

But it’s not just his legal abilities that keeps Sherborne in the spotlight. His personal life has been as dramatic as some of the cases he’s handled. From a much-publicized affair during the Leveson Inquiry (nothing says romance like “discussing the possibility of a future relationship” on a Greek island) to his reputation as something of a ladies’ man, Sherborne’s life outside the courtroom is just as captivating as his performances within it.

The Prince’s Champion

Most recently, Sherborne has found himself thrust into the royal limelight as the legal champion of Prince Harry in his crusade against the British tabloids.

The lawsuit against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) and News Group Newspapers on behalf of Prince Harry over alleged phone hacking resulted in a major win and a major payout for Prince Harry, who claimed that journalists used nefarious tactics to gather information, including phone hacking, “blagging” – gaining key information by deception – and the unlawful use of private investigators.

Following the substantial, confidential settlement in the case, Sherborne read a statement by the publisher to the High Court in London which offered a “full and unequivocal apology” to Harry for “serious intrusion” by The Sun between 1996 and 2011.

The publisher said that it included “incidents of unlawful activities carried out by private investigators working for The Sun”.

The statement also apologised for phone hacking, surveillance and misuse of private information by journalists and private investigators working for the now-defunct News of the World and also apologised for intrusion into the private life of Harry’s mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, when he was young.

“We acknowledge and apologise for the distress caused to the duke, and the damage inflicted on relationships, friendships and family, and have agreed to pay him substantial damages,” the statement said.

Harry said last month not to settle the case before a trial despite facing a legal bill of more than £10 million even if he won.

It’s a role that was tailor-made for Sherborne, combining his legal acumen with his flair for the dramatic and an ability to snare headlines.

Despite his reputation for showmanship, Sherborne is no legal lightweight. Described as “simply the best privacy junior around” and praised for his “sparkling advocacy,” he’s earned the respect of peers and judges alike. He’s known for turning losing cases into winners and for his innovative approach to the law[4].

The Final Verdict

Love him or loathe him, there’s no denying that David Sherborne is a force to be reckoned with in the world of media law.

He may not have the KC title (yet), but he’s got something far more valuable in the world of celebrity litigation: star power.

As one lawyer put it, “What he doesn’t know about defamation and privacy isn’t worth knowing”. And in a world where reputation is everything, that makes David Sherborne the ultimate legal celebrity.

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