The High Court in the United Kingdom has ruled in favor of Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL), the publisher of the Daily Mail, in a lawsuit brought by Prince Harry and several other celebrities. They accused the media group of gathering information about them through illegal means and violating their privacy, according to reports from The New York Times and BBC.
Judge Nicklin summarized the ruling, stating that the allegations are serious and thus require more compelling evidence for validation.
The seven claimants must not rely on “suspicions, even when understandable,” but must prove that the information published about them was indeed obtained unlawfully.
Other claimants in the case include Elton John and his husband, David Furnish, as well as actresses Liz Hurley and Sadie Frost.
This lawsuit against ANL has been costly, with total legal expenses over the two-and-a-half month trial estimated at around £40 million, or $53.5 million, according to figures provided to the court by both parties and reported by the British press.
Wave of Lawsuits Against Tabloids
The trial, which began at the High Court in London in January, was the last unresolved case among multiple actions initiated by Harry against British tabloids, most of which focus on allegations of invasion of privacy.
In 2023, he received damages from a lawsuit against Mirror Group, while in 2025, News Group Newspapers, led by Rupert Murdoch, agreed to pay him “substantial” damages and acknowledged for the first time the illegal activities of private investigators working for The Sun publication.
Currently residing in California with his wife and children, the decision on Tuesday arrived while Harry was in the UK for a series of charitable activities and events promoting the 2027 Invictus Games.
ANL Welcomes Ruling: “Overwhelming Victory”
The media group hailed the High Court’s decision as an “overwhelming victory for the Daily Mail and its journalists.”
“This is a magnificent rehabilitation of Daily Mail journalism,” stated a spokesperson.
“The reputations of our decent and hardworking journalists had been severely questioned, and today they have been vindicated,” they added.
“As the ruling clearly shows, every article came from legitimate sources,” the spokesperson emphasized.
“We will seek to resolve outstanding issues, including the recovery of costs we incurred while defending against this serious litigation,” the ANL representative concluded.
