Prince Harry and six other high profile figures have been ordered to pay an initial £9.54 million toward Associated Newspapers’ legal costs after losing their High Court privacy case.
The case involved allegations that Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL), publisher of the Daily Mail, used unlawful information gathering methods for stories published between 1997 and 2015. ANL strongly denied the allegations throughout the 11-week trial in London.
Justice Matthew Nicklin dismissed the claims on July 7, ruling that the public figures had failed to provide sufficient evidence to establish their allegations.
Current and former ANL journalists and executives gave evidence during the proceedings, denying involvement in illegal activity.
The seven claimants were Prince Harry, Elton John, David Furnish, Sadie Frost, Liz Hurley, Sir Simon Hughes and Baroness Doreen Lawrence.
Harry traveled from the United States to attend the court proceedings in person, while the other claimants also gave evidence during the trial.
The £9.54 Million Payment
ANL initially requested more than £9.9 million as an interim payment toward its legal expenses. Lawyers for the claimants argued that the immediate payment should instead be slightly above £7.9 million.
The judge ordered the higher figure of £9.54 million, which must be paid to the publisher by 4 p.m. on Aug. 28. The amount is only an initial payment and does not settle the full legal costs arising from the case.
ANL has said its overall costs exceeded £34 million. The claimants had insurance covering up to £16.2 million of the publisher’s costs, meaning they could face additional financial liability depending on the final assessment.
Judge Questions £34 Million Claim
Justice Nicklin ruled that ANL’s costs should generally be assessed on an indemnity basis, which can allow a successful party to recover more of its legal expenses.
However, the judge raised concerns about the scale of the publisher’s claim. He said costs exceeding £34 million appeared excessive and questioned whether all of the expenses claimed had been reasonably incurred and were reasonable in amount.
He nevertheless declined to impose a fixed ceiling on ANL’s recoverable costs, saying a broad limit could be unfair. The final amount will therefore be determined through further costs proceedings.
The judgment adds to Harry’s series of legal disputes with British newspaper publishers. In 2023, he won a case against the publisher of the Daily Mirror after a court found widespread and habitual phone hacking.
The Sun later apologized to Harry over intrusions into his private life and agreed to settle a separate lawsuit.
Sir Simon Hughes said he was disappointed by the latest judgment and was considering whether to appeal the substantive decision, the costs ruling, or both.
Harry and Baroness Lawrence had also criticized the July judgment, saying they had sought justice and accountability but believed they had received neither. ANL rejected that position and described the latest ruling as a severe criticism of the litigation.
The seven claimants have until Oct. 2 to attempt to launch an appeal. Meanwhile, the detailed assessment of ANL’s legal expenses will determine how much of the publisher’s wider costs can ultimately be recovered.
For now, the court-ordered £9.54 million payment due Aug. 28 is the immediate financial obligation arising from the case.
