Drinking you under the table, movie snuggles: Prince Harry's flirty texts with reporter

A string of flirty messages exchanged between Prince Harry and Daily Mail reporter Charlotte Griffiths, including references to “movie snuggles”, “drinking under the table” and a “weekend of naughtiness”, were read out in a London court as his privacy case against Associated Newspapers Limited drew to a close.

The messages, sent on Facebook between December 2011 and January 2012, were presented during closing submissions before Justice Matthew Nicklin on Tuesday, The New York Post reported.

In one of his first texts, Harry wrote, “It’s H, in case u were confused by name and picture!!! X,” prompting Griffiths to reply, “Hello Mr Mischief... what a fun weekend of naughtiness.”

Griffiths added, “Can’t we all get up to no good in the countryside every weekend... Smooches,” to which Harry responded, “What a crowd. Never laughed so much in 24 hrs!! I was surely no worse than anyone else!!”

In later exchanges, Harry appeared more overtly playful, writing, “Miss our movie snuggles!!” and “Wish I was there... would have been there playing and then drinking u under the table, obvi!!” He also addressed her as “sugar” and signed off messages with “mwah” and multiple kisses.

“I wish I was there sugar but unfortunately, (I'm) stuck in Cornwall doing Army stuff. Otherwise, I would have been there playing and then drinking u under the table, obvi!!” Harry said.

Griffiths, meanwhile, continued the banter, at one point referring to him as “H-bomb” and discussing plans and parties involving their mutual friend Arthur Landon.

Despite the tone of the messages, Harry told the court earlier this year that he had only met Griffiths once and ended communication after learning she was a journalist. “That was that,” he said, an assertion now under scrutiny given the familiarity reflected in the texts.

During her testimony, Griffiths said she attended a party with Prince Harry in June 2012, the night before Trooping the Colour, and that the two exchanged messages the following morning, according to The New York Post.

Prince Harry, the 41-year-old Duke of Sussex, is among a group of claimants, including Elton John, suing Associated Newspapers Limited over alleged widespread unlawful practices – ranging from voicemail hacking and landline bugging to obtaining private information through deception – spanning more than two decades from the early 1990s.

A verdict is expected at a later date.

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