Prince Harry Was ‘Really Worried’ for His and Ex-Girlfriend Chelsy Davy’s Safety Amid Tabloid Scrutiny

Prince Harry has revealed that he felt harassed and, at one point, unsafe due to the constant tabloid headlines about his personal life.

The Duke of Sussex, 41, took the stand on Wednesday, January 21, in his trial against Associated Newspapers, the publisher of the Daily Mail, for alleged illegal information gathering. (Associated Newspapers has reportedly denied the allegations against them.)

Harry spoke about the impact their reporting has had on his life, particularly when he was in a relationship with ex-girlfriend Chelsy Davy, whom he dated on and off for approximately five years from 2004 and 2010.

The father of two, who is now married to Meghan Markle, also detailed his accusations against Associated Newspapers in a 23-page witness statement, according to People, in which he said he “trusted Chelsy with the most private of information and vice versa.”

“The Mail was the first to publicly disclose Chelsy’s name,” Harry said in his statement, per People. “From that point onward, everything blew up, and her life as she knew it was over; her ability to enjoy some semblance of privacy evaporated instantly.”

Harry said that paparazzi “turned up everywhere,” leading to paranoia. “It felt like full-blown stalking and constant surveillance.”

At the time, Harry was suspicious of Davy’s friends but now said he believes the tabloids used unlawful tactics to find out where they would be and when.

Harry called out how the publisher’s reporting “had a hugely negative effect on our relationship,” explaining: “It added pressure and created a massive strain… It’s never going to end well if this happens all the time, as the paranoia and distrust builds up. It very quickly turns into a nightmare.”

He also claimed that he did not feel safe. “I was really worried something bad was going to happen,” said Harry, whose mother Princess Diana died as a result of a car crash while fleeing the paparazzi.

“I remember Associated’s journalists regularly turning up at different locations which you would never expect them to, including South Africa,” he wrote in the statement, per People.

“This was despite the extreme lengths my security team and I went to in order to protect my security and privacy,” he added. “It threatened my personal security and those around me. It made my relationships impossible.”

Harry’s case centers on 14 articles regarding the royal, and the trial remains ongoing.