**Elizabeth Hurley Breaks Down in Court, Describing 'Brutal Invasion of Privacy'**

Actress Elizabeth Hurley took the witness stand at London's High Court yesterday, her voice trembling as she recounted a disturbing tale of phone hacking and surveillance. The 60-year-old, one of seven high-profile claimants suing Associated Newspapers for alleged privacy violations, tearfully described how her landlines and home were bugged to gather sensational stories.

As she gave evidence in the High Court, Hurley clutched a tissue to her face and wiped away tears during cross-examination by Associate lawyer Antony White. Her son Damian, who was sitting next to his father's friend Prince Harry, supportively patted his back when she became emotional. The scene was a poignant reminder of the personal stakes for Hurley and other claimants in the case.

The lawsuit, which has been brewing for years, accuses Associated Newspapers – publishers of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday – of violating the privacy of its high-profile subjects. In her written witness statement, Hurley detailed a "brutal invasion of privacy" that left her "crushed" when she discovered it in 2020.

One of the most distressing aspects of the case, according to Hurley, was the hacking of her phones and microphones being attached to windows in her house. "It was deeply hurtful," she said, her voice cracking with emotion. "They were listening to all my conversations."

Hurley rejected suggestions that her friends – including Elton John's husband David Furnish – had passed on information to the press. She claimed that her phones and home had been targeted as part of a systematic effort to gather sensational stories, including medical details about her pregnancy with son Damian.

The Daily Mail's publisher has dismissed the allegations as "preposterous smears." In its defense, Associate Newspapers argued that the lawsuits were filed too late and that Hurley could have known about her claims against the Mail sooner. However, Hurley maintained that she first learned about phone hacking from her ex-boyfriend Hugh Grant in 2015, when he told her that she could launch a claim against Mirror Group Newspapers.

Grant had donated the damages she won from MGN – £350,000 ($469,770) – to 'Hacked Off', a press reform campaign group that he supports. When questioned about why she didn't discuss the issue with him further, Hurley said, "Sometimes he tried to tell me but I'm afraid I didn't really listen... We are just silly together... maybe I'm not a very good friend."

Prince Harry was in attendance at court, having given his own evidence as a witness on Wednesday. His presence offered a show of solidarity with Hurley and the other claimants, who are seeking justice for what they describe as a serious invasion of their privacy.