Live updates: Prince Harry back in court to testify in lawsuit accusing U.K. tabloids of phone hacking

“I genuinely feel that in every relationship that I’ve ever had — be that with friends, girlfriends, with family or with the army, there’s always been a third party involved, namely the tabloid press,” Harry said in a lengthy written witness statement released Tuesday as he appeared in London’s High Court for his first day of cross-examination.

“I felt that I couldn’t trust anybody, which was an awful feeling for me especially at such a young age. As I am uncovering the extent of the unlawful activities carried out by MGN’s journalist and senior executives towards me, I feel somewhat relieved to know that my paranoia towards my friends and family had, in fact, been misplaced, although feel sad for how much it impacted my adolescence,” Harry’s witness statement said.

Harry blasted the “utterly vile” actions of Britain’s tabloid press, accusing them of being “the mothership of online trolling.”

“People have died as a result, and people will continue to kill themselves by suicide when they can’t see any other way out,” Harry said in his lengthy statement. “How much more blood will stain their typing fingers before someone can put a stop to this madness.”

“Our country is judged globally by the state of our press and our government – both of which I believe are at rock bottom. Democracy fails when your press fails to scrutinise and hold the government accountable, and instead choose to get into bed with them so they can ensure the status quo. I may not have a role within the Institution but, as a member of the British Royal family, and as a soldier upholding important values, I feel there’s a responsibility to expose this criminal activity in the name of public interest,” Harry’s statement said.