Prince Harry loses court case against the Daily Mail
Court finds no evidence of unlawful information gathering
Prince Harry has lost his legal battle against Associated Newspapers, the publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday. The High Court of England and Wales dismissed all claims brought by the Duke of Sussex and six other claimants, who had accused the publisher of unlawfully obtaining confidential information.
The lawsuit concerned alleged misconduct that, according to the claimants, had taken place over many years. Prince Harry argued that journalists and private investigators working with Associated Newspapers had used illegal methods to obtain information. These allegedly included phone tapping, the use of surveillance devices, deception and other forms of intrusion into private life. Joining him in the lawsuit were singer Elton John, actress Elizabeth Hurley, filmmaker David Furnish, actress Sadie Frost, Baroness Doreen Lawrence and former Member of Parliament Simon Hughes.
However, Mr Justice Matthew Nicklin concluded that the claimants had failed to provide sufficient evidence that the information had been obtained unlawfully. In his judgment, he stated that even if the origins of certain published stories raised legitimate questions, this alone did not prove that journalists had acted illegally. Instead, the court accepted the publisher’s position that all of the material had been obtained through lawful means.
Associated Newspapers described the ruling as an «unequivocal victory» for the Daily Mail, its journalists and press freedom. The company also announced that it intends to seek recovery of its legal costs. The 46-day trial is estimated to have cost approximately 53.5 million US dollars. A further hearing, during which the parties will address the legal consequences of the ruling and the allocation of legal costs, has been scheduled for 29-30 July.
During hearings earlier this year, Prince Harry spoke emotionally about his long-running battle with the British tabloid press. He said the relentless media attention had affected not only his own life but also that of his wife, Meghan Markle. The couple now live in California with their children.
The case has become one of the most significant chapters in Prince Harry’s long-running legal fight against the British tabloid media. Despite this defeat, he has previously secured victories in cases against other media companies, including Mirror Group Newspapers, and reached a settlement with News Group Newspapers in separate proceedings concerning the unlawful gathering of information.
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