The sweet reason Prince Harry missed first day of High Court trial

There’s a sweet reason Prince Harry missed the first day of a High Court trial, although his absence reportedly left the judge “surprised”. 

• The Duke of Sussex didn’t make an appearance at the High Court on Monday June 5 which apparently left the judge “a little surprised”.
• It’s been reported that Prince Harry’s barrister explained that the royal had flown from the US late on Sunday after celebrating Princess Lilibet’s birthday.
• This royal news comes as Princess Eugenie gave birth to a baby boy and she revealed the sweet family history behind his name in pictures with August. 

For the first time since the coronation, Prince Harry was expected to be back in London on June 5 to attend the first day of a high-profile trial in his case against Mirror Group Newspapers. Although it’s understood that the Duke of Sussex wasn’t due to give evidence until the next day, The Guardian has claimed that the judge, Mr Justice Fancourt, had requested for him to be there on Monday. After learning that Prince Harry wouldn’t be making an appearance, the judge is said to have declared he was a “little surprised” by the royal’s decision. 

Though there’s a sweet reason Prince Harry missed the first day of the High Court trial. According to the publication, Prince Harry’s barrister David Sherbourne apparently confirmed that the Duke of Sussex only flew out of the US on Sunday night as he’d been celebrating his daughter’s birthday. 

Princess Lilibet turned two on June 4 and this year marked the first time she had enjoyed her special day in the US after the Sussex family spent her 1st birthday in the UK during the Platinum Jubilee weekend. They’re understood to have thrown a party for her at Frogmore Cottage and rare pictures of Princess Lilibet taken by Misan Harriman were shared with fans. 

The photographer captured the sweet snap in the garden and it showed her beaming in the sunshine wearing a soft, blue dress. It’s not known how Princess Lilibet’s 2nd birthday was celebrated but it seems that she got to enjoy it with Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and Prince Archie, likely at their Santa Barbara home. 

Opening up to OK!, the BBC’s former royal correspondent Jennie Bond put forward the idea that Princess Lilibet’s recent celebration might have been a relaxed “all American” party.

"This year it will no doubt be an all American affair at their Montecito mansion in the Californian sunshine. I would expect to see a sprinkling of celebrities and a laid-back party, which hopefully will include some other toddlers,” she claimed. 

However it was celebrated, Prince Harry’s determination to be there for every precious moment of Princess Lilibet’s birthday is incredibly heart-warming. His absence at the High Court on Monday after he took a night flight on Sunday comes just a month after he’s understood to have left the coronation day early. 

After returning to the UK solo to see King Charles and Queen Camilla officially crowned, the Duke of Sussex is believed to have left shortly after the service to head to the airport. 

The coronation fell on the same day as Prince Archie’s 4th birthday and it was reported that Prince Harry was keen to make it back in time to California to enjoy some of it with his son. 

The Duke of Sussex has now stepped out in London for the second day of the trial and he’s expected to give evidence. If he does do so, then this will reportedly make him the first senior royal to testify in court since the 19th century.