Princess Diana leaked information about the Prince of Wales to "an ally" in the press in order to "take on" her estranged husband, former News of the World reporter Clive Goodman told the phone hacking trial.
Rebekah Brooks has told the Old Bailey she received death threats, as well as messages of support from the likes of Tony Blair, after it emerged that Milly Dowler's phone had been hacked.
On the eighth day of her evidence and under questioning from her lawyer Jonathan Laidlaw QC, Brooks was asked about the events of July 2011, when the Guardian broke the "horrific" story.
Brooks told jurors she and her colleagues were horrified by the allegations and desperately tried to find out if they were true.
She said: "We were completely at a loss and all over the place really, trying to find out what was true and what wasn't".
Jurors heard a text, sent from Mr Blair to Brooks on July 5 2011, read: "Let me know if there's anything I can help you with.
"Thinking of you. I've been through things like this."
Brooks replied: "Thank you, I know what's it's like. GB (Gordon Brown) pals getting their own back. Rupert and James (Murdoch) have been brilliant."Hopefully even in this climate the truth will out."
Referring to the abusive messages she was sent, Brooks, 45, told jurors: "The allegations were, I think, met with universal revulsion and I was the central figure of that."
Brooks, of Churchill, Oxfordshire, denies conspiring to hack phones, conspiring to commit misconduct in public office and conspiring to cover up evidence to pervert the course of justice.All seven defendants deny the charges against them.
The ex-News of the World chief texted former PM Tony Blair saying she was 'feeling properly terrified' the day before the police interview.
In contrast to yesterday's cool performance, the former editor broke down whilst giving evidence in her phone-hacking trial.
Tony Blair advised Rebekah Brooks how to shield James Murdoch from the fallout of the phone-hacking scandal, the Old Bailey heard today.