The Queen: "Why you little royal pervert parasites stop your're creeping me out!"

Prince William joke call to brother Harry revealed in trial: 'See you very soon, you big, hairy, fat ginger

Sam Marsden
Thursday, December 19, 2013

Chelsy Davy and Prince Harry in May 2006. (Ben Stansall/Getty Images)

LONDON — Prince William pretended to be Prince Harry’s former girlfriend Chelsy Davy in a joke telephone message in which he called his younger brother a “big hairy, fat ginger,” the Old Bailey heard.

A tape recording of the private voicemail was recovered by detectives from the home of Glenn Mulcaire, a private detective who worked for the News of the World, and it formed the basis for a story that appeared in the paper, the trial was told.

It was the first time allegations that Prince Harry’s telephone was hacked by the Sunday tabloid have been aired.

The spoof message, which was delivered in a high-pitched voice in a fake Zimbabwean accent, said: “Hi, it’s Chelsy here. I just want to say I miss you so much and I think you are the best-looking ginger I have ever seen, although you really are quite ugly for a ginger, but hope you are having a lovely time.

“I really miss you. It is lovely out here in Africa and hopefully I will see you very soon, you big, hairy, fat ginger. Anyway, speak to you later.”

Andrew Edis QC, prosecuting, told the jury the message was from an “unknown male” but the News of the World attributed it to Prince William in a story by Clive Goodman, the paper’s former Royal Editor, in April 2006. A cash payment to Mr Mulcaire of pounds 700 was allegedly linked to the recording of the message.

The trial has already heard allegations that a voicemail left by Prince Harry on a royal aide’s telephone was hacked by the paper. In the message the Prince asked Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, his private secretary, to help him with an urgent essay on the 1980 Iranian embassy siege while he was at Sandhurst, the jury was told.

Princes William and Harry in May 2006, possibly still laughing over William's joke phone call. (Chris Radburn/AFP/Getty Images)

Prince Harry’s private medical details were also “scammed” by the paper when it hacked the voicemails of Helen Asprey, his private secretary, it is alleged.

Dr Rod Jaques, of the English Institute of Sport, left a message on her telephone in 2005 referring to knee and shoulder problems suffered by the Prince. Jurors were shown an email that Goodman sent to his then editor, Andy Coulson, saying the health information was “solid” as it was “from the Doc himself”. The trial continues.

The Daily Telegraph