The Duke of Sussex has revealed that he was motivated to sue the tabloid newspapers over phone hacking in order to protect his wife.

Prince Harry, 38, told the High Court he had been thinking about how he could defend Meghan without involving the Royal family’s own legal team.

“I think it was a discussion on how to somehow find a way to stop the abuse, intrusion and hate that was directed towards me and my wife,” he said.

“And to see if there was any way to find a different course of action without relying on the institution’s lawyers.”

The Duke is suing Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) over 148 articles he alleges came from illegal activity, including phone hacking.

As he took to the witness stand for a second consecutive day, it emerged that he had been introduced to his barrister, David Sherborne, by Sir Elton John.

The Duke has suggested that it was Mr Sherborne’s idea to pursue legal action.

Many of the stories the Duke has complained about concern Chelsy Davy, his former girlfriend, who he met in 2004.

He blamed the media for Ms Davy’s eventual decision that “a royal life was not for her” and has been determined to ensure the same would not happen with Meghan.

Andrew Green KC, for the Mirror, asked if he had initially wanted to bring a claim against News Group Newspapers, publisher of The Sun and the now-defunct News of the World, before deciding to sue the Mirror.

“No, I believe I filed the claims at pretty much the same time.” the Duke replied, adding that there was “industrial-scale destruction of evidence on all sides”.

Asked where he had got the idea of “industrial-scale destruction” he replied: “From my legal team.”

Mr Green suggested that the Duke had failed to identify a single story in a Mirror Group newspaper that had been obtained via phone hacking.

“That’s a question for my legal team…but I believe phone hacking started at Mirror Group,” Harry replied.

He admitted he had not known there was no call data to back up his claim.

Asked if he believed he was being hacked on a daily basis he replied: “I simply don’t know.”

Mr Green pressed on, asking if he was aware of evidence that gave “any indication whatsoever” that he had been hacked.

“No, that is the.. reason why I am here,” he replied.

Follow the latest updates below.