Who is Mr Justice Fancourt? The ‘celebrity’ judge hearing Prince Harry’s historic case

Mr Justice Fancourt, the judge presiding over the Duke of Sussex’s landmark case, says he was ‘surprised’ to hear of Harry’s absence on the first day of trial

As the first senior British royal to give evidence in court in 130 years, Prince Harry arrived a day late for his historic appearance at the High Court in London in his ongoing case against the Daily Mirror’s publisher.

He is suing Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) for damages, arguing that journalists at its titles were linked to methods including phone hacking, so-called “blagging” or gaining information by deception, and use of private investigators for unlawful activities.

His failure to turn up on Monday prompted Mr Justice Fancourt, who is presiding over the case, to express “surprise” at the no show, which was blamed on tricky security and travel arrangements after the Duke flew to the UK following his daughter Lilibet’s second birthday celebration.

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So who is the High Court judge hearing the case, and what is his professional background?

Sir Timothy Fancourt – known as Mr Justice Fancourt – has been President of the Lands Chamber of the Upper Tribunal since August 2019, which deals with disputes over property and land. As both president and High Court judge, he is responsible for leading the chamber, which was founded after the Second World War.

He is no stranger to dealing with cases of alleged hacking on the part of newspapers.

In 2021, he presided over the case of Sienna Miller and Paul Gascoigne in their alleged case of phone hacking against News Group Newspaper.

He refused a request by NGN lawyers to conduct parts of the hearing in private, saying the allegations were already in the public domain. The case was later settled.

Studying law at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, Mr Justice Fancourt was first called to the Bar by Lincoln’s Inn in 1987.

Mr Justice Fancourt is the High Court judge hearing the case (Judicial Office, England & Wales)

First specialising in real property and landlord and tenant law, in 1996, he was elected to the Bar Council of England and Wales. He took Silk in 2003 – an honour bestowed upon elite lawyers – and was later appointed as a Recorder (Crime) in 2009.

Sitting at Harrow Crown Court until 2017, he became chairman of the Chancery Bar Association in 2012.

In 2013, he was appointed as a Deputy High Court Judge, moving up to the position of High Court Judge in 2017, where he was assigned to the Chancery Division.

He received a knighthood in May 2019, and is now a co-editor of Muir Watt & Moss: Agricultural Holdings.