Prince Harry has suffered a blow after High Court judges made their stance clear on the Duke of Sussex’s ongoing battle against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL), the publisher of the Daily Mail.
The father-of-two is one of several high-profile claimants, including Sir Elton John, accusing ANL of allegedly hiring private investigators to “blag” private records, place listening devices inside cars and record private phone conversations.
The publisher has strenuously denied the allegations and told the court the claims were “lurid” and “simply preposterous.”
On Friday, High Court judges branded the estimated £38million legal battle as “manifestly excessive” and “disproportionate”.
Prince Harry suffers blow as High Court judges make stance clear amid latest battle
Getty
The trial against ANL, which is expected to last nine weeks, has been pencilled in for January 2026.
The judges recognised that there seems to be little likelihood of a settlement between the Duke of Sussex and ANL, as opposed to the agreement reached between Harry and the publisher of The Sun earlier this week.
Harry’s claim against the publisher of The Sun, News Group Newspapers (NGN), ended after five years with a “full and unequivocal apology” on Wednesday.
Given its “entrenched positions,” the publisher of the Daily Mail does not see such a deal as possible.
Harry is among a group of high-profile individuals, including Baroness Doreen Lawrence and Sir Elton John, bringing legal action against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL)
PA
In contrast, the publisher of The Sun paid out more than 1,300 settlements to prevent similar lawsuits from going to trial.
With the claimants aiming to spend approximately £18.7million and the publisher £19.8million, it was revealed in November that the lawsuit against ANL was expected to cost over £38million.
On Friday, Mr Justice Nicklin and Judge David Cook “had little difficulty concluding that such sums were manifestly excessive and therefore disproportionate.”
According to the pair, the claimants should spend around £4.1million and ANL should spend roughly £4.5million.
Harry leaving the Royal Courts Of Justice in March 2023 following a hearing over allegations of unlawful information gathering brought against ANL
PA
LATEST ROYAL NEWS:
Court artist sketch by Elizabeth Cook of Prince Harry during a hearing at the Royal Courts Of Justice in 2023
PA
In addition, Mr Justice Nicklin and Judge David Cook were critical of certain solicitors’ hourly rates that were “well outside” the guidelines, reaching £740.
The judges warned that despite the fact this legal case concerns celebrities and royalty, they would be treated in the same way as any other litigant.
They explained: “The fact that these claimants are well-known, and the litigation high-profile, does not affect the issues that must be resolved.”