LONDON

Prince Harry's absence from the High Court in London on Monday during his case against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) has surprised the judge overseeing the proceedings, according to media reports.

The Duke of Sussex is expected to begin giving evidence on Tuesday, making him the first senior royal in 130 years to testify in court, according to BBC.

Prince Harry's claim revolves around MGN journalists allegedly employing unlawful methods, such as phone hacking, to gather information.

While MGN denies phone hacking in this particular case, they have previously admitted to engaging in such practices.

During the start of the High Court hearing last month, the publisher of the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror, and Sunday People acknowledged that a private investigator had been instructed to unlawfully obtain information regarding Prince Harry's behavior at a nightclub in February 2004.

David Sherborne, the barrister representing the Duke of Sussex, asserted that Prince Harry's phone was hacked on multiple occasions.

Sherborne claimed that the details of Prince Harry appeared in the palm pilot of a journalist who was known to be one of the most prolific phone hackers.

Harry is among the several celebrity complainants in the action against Mirror Group News, The Mirror, Sunday Mirror and The People.