Prince Harry and other prominent individuals have been ordered by London’s High Court to pay an interim sum of £9.54 million ($17.9 million Cdn) towards the legal expenses of the Daily Mail’s publisher following their unsuccessful privacy lawsuits. The ruling, delivered by Judge Matthew Nicklin, dismissed the case brought by Prince Harry and others, refuting claims of unlawful practices like phone hacking by the Mail titles.
Among the notable figures suing Associated Newspapers were singer Elton John, his Canadian partner David Furnish, actors Sadie Frost and Elizabeth Hurley, former Liberal Democratic MP Simon Hughes, and anti-racism activist Doreen Lawrence. Judge Nicklin criticized the claimants’ case, stating that serious allegations were based on speculative and inferential grounds, deeming their conduct as unreasonably high.
A spokesperson for Associated Newspapers hailed the court ruling as a significant triumph for the publication. The court mandated that the outstanding amount be paid on an indemnity basis, requiring the losing party, including Prince Harry and others, to contribute towards the legal costs without the need for the publisher to justify the expenses.
During a hearing in July, it was revealed that Associated had amassed a legal bill of £34.5 million ($64.7 million Cdn), while the claimants were covered by an insurance policy of £16 million ($30 million Cdn). The claimants’ lawyer, Nicholas Bacon, highlighted that Associated’s legal fees far surpassed the agreed budget.
As of now, a decision on a potential appeal by the claimants has not been reached. Prince Harry refrained from commenting on the court’s decision, previously expressing his discontent with the outcome. Additionally, Prince Harry and Meghan recently announced their plans to relocate to the UK, signaling a shift from their time in southern California after a brief stay in British Columbia.
This legal dispute marks the final unresolved litigation in a series of lawsuits initiated by Prince Harry against tabloid publishers for employing illicit tactics. Previously, Prince Harry received a compensation of £140,600 (approximately $240,430 Cdn) following a ruling by the High Court, acknowledging him as a victim of phone hacking and other unlawful information gathering by journalists at Britain’s Mirror Group Newspapers.
In a separate major case, the Rupert Murdoch-led News Group in the UK issued an apology to Prince Harry for the phone hacking and unauthorized use of private information by journalists and private investigators. However, the court dismissed an allegation suggesting a clandestine agreement between Murdoch’s newspaper group and Buckingham Palace to deter royals from filing such lawsuits.