Hacking Trial Hears William's Message To Kate

Former News Of The World editor Andy Coulson approved a two-month project to "monitor" the phones of three royal aides, says the paper's ex-royal editor.

Clive Goodman told the hacking trial he made a personal deal with private investigator Glenn Mulcaire, separate from the newspaper's contract.

The Old Bailey was also told a phone message from Prince William to his then-girlfriend Kate Middleton was intercepted by Mulcaire, while he was working for the paper.

The message, found on a micro-cassette in Goodman's flat, was allegedly of William arranging to leave Sandhurst military academy to meet her.

In it, the royal said: "Hopefully I should be able to leave by seven at the latest" and later he repeated: "Planning on definitely coming out by sevenish so I will be with you by eight at the latest."

Under "Project Alexander", Coulson allegedly agreed to extra payments of £500 a week to Mulcaire for hacking the phones of people close to princes William and Harry.

Goodman said he gave the private investigator the names of the princes' personal assistant, private secretary and also the Prince of Wales' head of press.

Goodman went on to claim phone hacking was going on at the NotW "on a pretty industrial scale" and "it got to the level" when Coulson's phone was being hacked.

Asked for what purpose, he said it was to find out what other stories were in the pipeline in the competitive newsroom.

Goodman said The Sun's then-editor Rebekah Brooks' phone was also hacked "for the same reason - to find out what the Sun was up to".

Goodman told the court how he got a story about Prince Harry asking his private secretary for help with his homework at Sandhurst from the employee's voicemail.

In it, the prince allegedly asks for information about the Iranian Embassy siege, saying: "Please, please, please, email it to me or text me and I will try to ring you again later."

The court heard about other stories on the young royals which Goodman said came from hacking.

They included a story about William getting lost in woods during a night exercise and getting shot at with blanks, much to his embarrassment.

Harry's phone was also hacked to listen to a jokey message from his brother putting on a woman's voice, the court heard.

Goodman's project with Mulcaire was only due to last a couple of months from October 2005 but went on ad hoc until the time of their arrests in August 2006, he said.

Goodman admitted phone hacking and was sentenced in 2007. He denies conspiring to commit misconduct in a public office.

Mulcaire was imprisoned for six months in 2007 after pleaded guilty to hacking.

Seven defendants, including Brooks and Coulson, deny all the charges against them. The case continues.