Prince Harry and Celebrities Ordered to Pay £9.5m After Losing High Court Battle

PUBLISHED Aug 22, 2026, 1:20 PM ET

Prince Harry and six co-claimants must pay Associated Newspapers £9.54 million by August 28, 2026, after a High Court judge ruled Friday that their failed privacy case should carry an interim costs payment. Justice Matthew Nicklin dismissed their claims against the publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday in July, following an 11-week trial over alleged unlawful information gathering. The claimants, including Elton John, David Furnish, Doreen Lawrence, Elizabeth Hurley, Sadie Frost and Simon Hughes, alleged activities including phone tapping, surveillance and obtaining private records. Associated Newspapers denied wrongdoing. In the costs ruling, Nicklin ordered the publisher’s costs to be assessed on an indemnity basis, citing litigation conduct he found highly unreasonable and outside normal civil proceedings. The publisher reported total costs of about £34.5 million, but the final recoverable amount remains unsettled after detailed assessment. The ruling is a significant legal setback for Harry and the other claimants.

By Sarah Whitman | JQJO News

Media Bias

Articles Published:: 31
Right Leaning:: 3
Left Leaning:: 1
Neutral:: 27

Explain Framing

Left: Left framing emphasizes press accountability and privacy concerns surrounding celebrities. Center: Center framing emphasizes the ruling, costs, evidence, and remaining procedures. Right: Right framing emphasizes judicial criticism of speculative claims and conduct.