20 Dec 2013

Duchess of Cambridge's voicemails hacked

8:01 am on 20 December 2013

The newspaper phone hacking trial in Britain has been told voicemails left for Kate Middleton by Prince William were hacked by The News of the World.

In one message the Prince used the pet name "babykins" and in another told her he had almost been shot with blanks.

The BBC reports an unnamed male also left a message for Prince Harry impersonating his then-girlfriend Chelsy Davy.

It was the first time the jury has heard that the Duchess of Cambridge's phone had been hacked.

Prince William was undergoing officer training at Sandhurst in 2006 when he said he nearly got shot with blank rounds during a training exercise .

Former News of the World editors Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson are on trial with five others, accused of a number of offences, including conspiracy to illegally intercept voicemails. They deny the charges.