News

Army officer was paid £5000 for Prince William bikini picture court hears

A former Sandhurst instructor was paid £5000 by News International for a picture of the heir to the throne in a green bikini a jury was told today. However, despite the purchase of the bikini picture being authorised by then Sun editor Rebekah Brooks, the newspaper never published the photograph and instead used a mock-up featuring an actor.John Hardy, 43, is charged, along with his wife Claire, of committing misconduct in a public office by selling confidential information to Sun royal editor Duncan Larcombe. Larcombe and three other journalists are also facing charges including conspiracy.Prosecutor Mark Bryan-Heron told the court that this was just one of the stories the former Sandhurst instructor sold to The Sun while Prince William and Prince Harry were cadets at the Royal military college.While some of the payments were for specific stories, such as "King of the Chavs", about Prince William dressed up "as a working class person", others were for general information on the two princes such as "training schedule" or "general info" the prosecutor said.Amongst the alleged payments to Hardy, the court heard, was one of £250 to allow him to go out with a group of other Sandhurst staff to The Honeypot Club. The Sun subsequently ran a story accusing the group of being hypocrites as they had previously disciplined Prince Harry for attending a strip club. It was headlined "Stripocracy".All of the defendants deny all of the charges, the trial continues.

Download the full report:

Download report

Queries: campaign@hackinginquiry.org

related Posts

Prince Harry, as he & Liz Hurley give evidence at Mail trial: “My every move, thought or feeling was being tracked and monitored just for the Mail to make money out of it”
Prince Harry & Liz Hurley give evidence in opening week of trial against the Daily Mail, as the newspaper faces claims from Hurley, Harry, Sir Elton John, David Furnish, Sir Simon Hughes, Sadie Frost and Baroness Doreen Lawrence.
1/23/26
News
The Mail facedown allegations of illegal information gathering in High Court showdown
Claimants set out ‘unlawful information gathering’ case against Associated Newspapers ahead of High Court trial
1/19/26
News