Prince Harry arrives for Daily Mail court battle

The Duke of Sussex has arrived at the High Court in London for a hearing in his claim against Daily Mail publisher Associated Newspapers over allegations of unlawful information-gathering.

The publisher is bringing a bid to end High Court claims brought by people including Harry, Sir Elton John and Baroness Doreen Lawrence over alleged unlawful activity at its titles.

The Duke has flown from California to London especially for the hearing, the Telegraph understands. Arriving at court this morning, the Duke smiled at the press and bumped into a photographer as he walked into the building.

He is among seven high profile figures who are suing Associated Newspapers Limited.

The other claimants are actresses Elizabeth Hurley and Sadie Frost, singer Sir Elton John and his husband David Furnish, Baroness Doreen Lawrence and former Lib Dem MP Sir Simon Hughes.

The Duke wanted to come over to show his “support,” the Telegraph has been told.

Due to coincide with the King’s state visit

The hearing was due to coincide with the King’s state visit to France before the trip was cancelled on Friday due to ongoing civil unrest and violence over President Emmanuel Macron’s pension reforms.

The Duke’s presence in court will undoubtedly draw attention to the case and may have overshadowed the visit, had it gone ahead. The King will begin a three-day state visit to Germany on Wednesday.

The Duke is not expected to see his father while he is in the UK. Although he did inform the King that he would be in London he was told his father was “busy”.

The Prince and Princess of Wales and their children are not in London as it is half term.

In a joint statement released in October, the group said they had become aware of "compelling and highly distressing evidence that they have been the victims of abhorrent criminal activity and gross breaches of privacy".

'Preposterous smears'

The publisher strenuously denies the allegations. It  has described them as “preposterous smears” and a “pre-planned and orchestrated attempt to drag the Mail titles into the phone hacking scandal”.

A four-day preliminary hearing scheduled for this week will allow Mr Justice Nicklin to determine whether the case can continue.

The judge will hear legal arguments relating to an an application by Associated which alleges among other things that the claimants' use of information is in breach of a restriction order made by Lord Justice Leveson.

Full details of the claim have not yet been revealed and will remain sealed until the issue has been resolved.

The claimants allege that Associated, publisher of the Daily Mail, the Mail on Sunday and MailOnline, hired private investigators to put listening devices in their homes and cars, that people were paid to listen in on live telephone calls and record them and that bank accounts and other financial information were "accessed through illicit means and manipulation".