Story about Prince William and Prince Harry was leaked to press, court told

A stream of “gossip and tittle-tattle” about Prince William and Harry’s time at Sandhurst was leaked to The Sun by greedy public officials, a court heard.

Chief reporter John Kay received tips from a Ministry of Defence official while royal editor Duncan Larcombe was fed stories by one of the royal military academy’s instructors, jurors were told.

The journalists are on trial at the Old Bailey accused of agreeing for the tabloid to pay them thousands of pounds in exchange for scoops and exclusives.

They are in the dock with executive editor Fergus Shanahan, deputy editor Geoffrey Webster, former Colour Sergeant at Sandhurst John Hardy, and his wife Claire.

Hardy was allegedly paid over £23,700 (€30,000) for providing Larcombe with information on the princes and others on 34 occasions.

Ministry of Defence official Bettina Jordan-Barber made £100,000 by selling stories to Kay, the court heard.