Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex's expected testimony on Tuesday in a phone-hacking case will be the first time that a prominent member of the British royal family will be cross-examined in court in over 130 years, when Queen Victoria’s eldest son, Prince Albert Edward, testified twice in court, reported the New York Times. Prince Albert Edward, who went on to become King Edward VII in 1901 testified in a slander case involving a man who cheated in a game of baccarat.
Sir William Gordon-Cumming, who was one of the players was accused of cheating during the game. The prince sided with the accusers, and Gordon-Cumming lost the case.
According to New York Times, Edward’s testimony lasted about 20 minutes during which the future King was extremely nervous and couldn’t sit still.
"When a question more pressing, more to the point than usual, was put to him, the prince’s face was observed to flush considerably, and then pale again," read a local report from the time, as quoted in The Guardian.
“You can see from reading this why it was subsequently decided that this is not something the royal family want. It showed you couldn’t entirely shield even the son of the queen from cross-examination.”
Richard Fitzwilliams, a royal commentator, said: "You can see from reading this why it was subsequently decided that this is not something the royal family want. It showed you couldn’t entirely shield even the son of the queen from cross-examination," as reported by NYT.
Later, in a book published in 1899, it was revealed that Edward in a letter had denounced the scandal and expressed the “deep pain and annoyance” he suffered because of it.
“A recent trial, which no one deplores more than I do, and which I was powerless to prevent, gave occasion for the press to make most bitter and unjust attacks upon me, knowing I was defenseless,” Edward wrote, reported the New York Times.
“The whole matter has now died out, and I think, therefore, that it would be inopportune for me in any public manner to allude again to the painful subject which has brought such a torrent of abuse upon me, the letter further read.
This was not the first time Edward had testified in the court. Two decades earlier he had testified in the divorce proceedings of Harriet Mordaunt, the wife of an English member of Parliament with whom he was accused of having an affair, which he denied.
Edward was in the witness box for only a few minutes which is why the appearance seemed to have had less of an impact on his reputation, according to Richard Fitzwilliams, a royal commentator, reported NYT.
Edward also known as "Bertie" has a reputation of being a womanizer and loved playing cards.
Harry’s planned court appearance on Tuesday and Edward’s appearances have key differences. Edward was called as a witness both times he appeared in court, while Harry is one of the plaintiffs, which means he knew that cross-examination was in his future.
Furthermore, while Harry is a high-profile member of the royal family, he is no longer a working royal. And he has never been first in line to the throne, unlike Edward, who was the crown prince. Still, if the questions trip Harry up, it could be embarrassing, experts said, according to the NYT.