Date: August 21, 2026
Reporter: Ifeanyi Ejiofor
LONDON — Prince Harry, singer Elton John and other high-profile figures have been ordered to make an initial payment of £9.54 million toward the legal costs of Associated Newspapers, the publisher of the Daily Mail, after their high-profile privacy lawsuit was dismissed by the High Court.
The costs ruling represents another major setback for Harry and the other claimants, who had accused Associated Newspapers of using unlawful methods to obtain private information for stories published by its newspapers.
Justice Matthew Nicklin ordered the claimants to make the interim payment by August 28. The judge also ruled that the remaining legal costs should be assessed on an “indemnity basis”, a more demanding costs standard that allows the publisher to recover costs without having to demonstrate that every expense was reasonable and proportionate.
Court Rejects Privacy Claims
Harry and six other prominent individuals brought the lawsuit against Associated Newspapers, alleging that journalists or private investigators working for its publications had engaged in unlawful information-gathering activities.
The allegations included claims involving phone hacking, surveillance and the unlawful acquisition of private information.
However, in July, Justice Nicklin rejected the case in its entirety, finding that the claimants had failed to establish that the Daily Mail and its sister publications had obtained information through the unlawful practices alleged.
The latest ruling focuses primarily on the financial consequences of that defeat.
Judge Criticises Conduct of the Case
In his costs judgment, Nicklin was particularly critical of how the claimants presented some of their allegations.
The judge said serious accusations were based on speculative and inferential material and concluded that aspects of the litigation were unreasonable to a high degree.
The ruling did not, however, find that Harry or the other claimants had acted dishonestly.
The decision means Associated Newspapers can seek recovery of a substantial portion of the costs it says it incurred defending the lawsuit.
Publisher's Legal Bill Reaches £34.5 Million
Associated Newspapers told the court that its legal costs had reached approximately £34.5 million.
The claimants, meanwhile, have insurance coverage of roughly £16 million, meaning the insurance may not be sufficient to cover the publisher's entire bill if the court ultimately awards the full amount sought.
The £9.54 million ordered as an interim payment is therefore only an initial contribution. The final amount Harry and the other claimants will have to pay is expected to be determined after further assessment of the legal costs.
The financial consequences could consequently run into tens of millions of pounds.
Harry Had Called Earlier Judgment a “Whitewash”
Harry had strongly criticised the July judgment that dismissed the privacy case, describing the decision as a “whitewash.”
The prince has made media accountability a major part of his legal campaign since stepping back from frontline royal duties.
He has previously taken legal action against several British newspaper publishers and has won or settled some of those cases.
His defeat in the Associated Newspapers case is therefore regarded as a significant setback in his wider efforts to challenge the practices of Britain's tabloid press.
Elton John and Other Public Figures Involved
Harry was not the only prominent figure involved in the lawsuit.
The claimants included Elton John, David Furnish, Doreen Lawrence, Sadie Frost, Elizabeth Hurley and Simon Hughes.
They alleged that the publisher's newspapers had engaged in unlawful information gathering over a number of years.
Associated Newspapers strongly denied the allegations and described the claims as an attack on its journalism.
Following the court's decision, the publisher welcomed the latest ruling as a major victory.
Appeal Remains Possible
The claimants have not yet exhausted every potential legal avenue.
The parties have until October 2 to consider whether to appeal the judgment and the associated costs rulings. No final decision on an appeal had been announced at the time of the latest ruling.
For Harry, the case comes at a particularly significant moment. The costs ruling follows reports that he and his wife, Meghan, are preparing to return to Britain with their children after several years living in California.
The legal defeat and potentially substantial financial liability could add another complicated chapter to Harry's continuing relationship with the British media and the British legal system.
A Major Legal Setback for Prince Harry
The latest judgment leaves Harry and the other claimants facing a potentially enormous legal bill following the collapse of their privacy lawsuit.
While the £9.54 million interim payment provides only a first indication of the financial consequences, Associated Newspapers' reported £34.5 million legal bill demonstrates the scale of the litigation.
The case has also highlighted the risks associated with bringing wide-ranging claims based on allegations that a court ultimately considers insufficiently supported by evidence.
For Associated Newspapers, the ruling represents a significant legal victory. For Prince Harry and his fellow claimants, it marks one of the most consequential defeats in their campaign against Britain's tabloid press.
The final financial liability will depend on the court's assessment of the publisher's costs and any further legal proceedings, including a possible appeal.
Dalena Reporters will continue to follow developments in Prince Harry's legal battles and the ongoing dispute between Britain's royal figures and the country's major newspaper publishers.