Prince Harry has pushed back against his brother’s claim that their late mother, Princess Diana, was “paranoid” in her final years in a landmark interview about the 2011 phone hacking scandal that rocked the British publishing world.

Prince Harry has risked stoking further tensions with Prince William after claiming their mother was not paranoid in the lead-up to her death during a groundbreaking TV interview addressing the 2011 phone hacking scandal.

When probed about whether he experiences paranoia after it was found in the British High Court that members of the British press had tapped his phone, the prince countered that the verdict showed he was not being paranoid.

“It could be paranoia but then when you’re vindicated it proves that you’re not being paranoid,” he said.

Prince Harry has declared his mother was not paranoid in his latest interview. (Photo by Georges De Keerle/Getty Images)

Prince William has previously said that Princess Diana was paranoid in her final years. (Photo by Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)
It has not been proven in court that Harry’s late mother, Princess Diana was also a victim of hacking.

However the Duke of Sussex says he has found himself relating to the British tabloid press’ treatment of the beloved princess.

“It was the same with my mother, there was evidence that suggests she was being hacked in the mid-90s- probably one of the first people to be hacked and still today the tabloid press very much enjoys painting her as being paranoid.

“But she wasn’t paranoid, she was absolutely right about what was happening to her and she’s not around today to find out the truth.”

The Duke of Sussex related to the British tabloid press’ intrusive treatment of Princess Diana, Picture: TV documentary “Diana, Life Through a Lens”, on Odyssey.

Princes Diana died in a car crash in 1997. Picture: News Corp
Harry’s remarks are in stark contrast with those of his elder brother, Prince William, heir to the British throne, who in 2021 spoke out about his mother’s “paranoia” after an investigation found she had been deceived into giving her explosive 1995 interview to journalist Martin Bashir.

The bombshell interview has gone done in history as a revolutionary tell-all – where the Princess made the infamous quote: “There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded”, in reference to Camilla Parker-Bowles – now Queen Camila.

Bashir was found to have commissioned fake bank statements that implied Princess Diana’s staff, including her private secretary, were being paid by members of the media in order to gain access to the Princess and persuade her to agree to give the interview.

Princess Diana during her 1995 interview with Martin Bashir. Picture: BBC
Following the court handing down its findings, the Prince of Wales issued a statement about the hurt the interview caused.

“It is my view that the deceitful way the interview was obtained substantially influenced what my mother said.

The interview was a major contribution to making my parents’ relationship worse and has since hurt countless others,” William said in a statement.

“It brings indescribable sadness to know that the BBC’s failures contributed significantly to her fear, paranoia and isolation that I remember from those final years with her.”

Prince Harry has pushed back against his brother’s remarks that their late mother, Princess Diana, was “paranoid”. Picture: Getty Images
At the time Harry issued a separate statement where he declared the “ripple effect of a culture of exploitation and unethical practices ultimately took [his mother’s] life.”

“To those who have taken some form of accountability, thank you for owning it. That is the first step towards justice and truth.

“Yet what deeply concerns me is that practices like these – and even worse – are still widespread today. Then, and now, it’s bigger than one outlet, one network, or one publication.”

“Our mother lost her life because of this, and nothing has changed. By protecting her legacy, we protect everyone, and uphold the dignity with which she lived her life. Let’s remember who she was and what she stood for.”

Last year Duke of Sussex secured a landmark win against Mirror Group Newspapers, when a high court judge found there was “widespread and habitual” phone hacking, even during the Leveson inquiry into standards and ethics of the British press.

The prince’s appearance in the high-profile trial marked the time a senior royal had been cross-examined in court in more than 130 years.