- Prince Harry and six others lost their privacy case
- They must initially pay £9.5m to the Daily Mail publisher
- The group could face another £25m in legal costs
Prince Harry and six other claimants have been ordered by a UK court to make an initial payment of £9.5 million, about $13 million, to the publisher of the Daily Mail after losing their privacy lawsuit.
Eko Hot Blog gathered that Justice Matthew Nicklin issued the ruling on Friday, directing the group to pay Associated Newspapers Ltd by August 28.
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The judge said the amount reflected the seriousness of the case and criticised the claimants’ handling of allegations that were not ultimately supported by sufficient evidence.
The group had sued Associated Newspapers over claims that journalists and investigators engaged in unlawful practices, including phone hacking and the use of private investigators to obtain personal information.
The other claimants include musician Elton John, his husband and film producer David Furnish, anti-racism campaigner Doreen Lawrence, actors Sadie Frost and Liz Hurley, and former politician Simon Hughes. Lawrence’s legal costs are expected to be covered by the other claimants.
The privacy case was heard over 11 weeks in London. In his July judgment, Nicklin rejected all 97 claims, saying there was insufficient evidence to establish the alleged wrongdoing and that some of the newspaper’s reporting could have been based on legitimate sources.
The judge said the claims had been speculative and criticised the failure to withdraw serious allegations that could no longer be supported.
Associated Newspapers has said it spent more than £34 million defending the case. If the publisher obtains further approval to recover the remaining costs, the claimants could face an additional bill of about £25 million.
Nicklin acknowledged that the publisher’s claimed costs appeared high but declined to impose a limit on the amount the claimants could ultimately be required to pay.
The final sum may be determined by specialist costs judges if both sides fail to reach an agreement.
Simon Hughes said he was disappointed that the court had not placed a limit on the recoverable costs. The other claimants have not publicly responded to the ruling and have until October 2 to decide whether to appeal.
Harry’s latest legal defeat follows previous cases against British newspaper publishers. He previously won a 2023 case against the publisher of the Daily Mirror after the court found evidence of widespread phone hacking, while The Sun later apologised over intrusion into his private life and agreed to a financial settlement.
The latest ruling comes shortly after reports that Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, are preparing to return to Britain later this month after more than six years living in California.
Harry has repeatedly argued that intrusive media coverage contributed to tensions within the royal family and has campaigned for changes to press practices. He has also blamed aggressive media for worsening circumstances surrounding the death of his mother, Princess Diana.
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