Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, along with six other high-profile claimants including Sir Elton John, has lost a High Court case against Associated Newspapers (ANL), the publisher of the Daily Mail. The judge, Mr Justice Nicklin, dismissed all allegations of unlawful information gathering, including voicemail interception, landline tapping, and obtaining information by deception, known as “blagging”.
Claims Dismissed in 436-Page Ruling
In a comprehensive 436-page ruling delivered on Tuesday, Mr Justice Nicklin stated: “For the reasons given in this judgment, each of the claimants’ claims is dismissed.” The judge concluded that none of the seven claimants had proven their allegations that private investigators, freelance journalists, and ANL staff engaged in unlawful activities.
The group of claimants, which also included Baroness Doreen Lawrence, had alleged a pattern of illegal behaviour by the publisher. ANL had consistently and strongly denied all the claims throughout the proceedings.
Publisher Hails ‘Overwhelming Victory’
Following the ruling, ANL described the outcome as an “overwhelming victory” and a “magnificent vindication of the Daily Mail’s journalism.” The publisher welcomed the judge’s decision, which clears the newspaper group of the serious allegations made by the claimants.
The case has been closely watched, as it involved some of the most prominent figures in British public life. Prince Harry has been involved in several legal battles against the British press, alleging phone hacking and other privacy violations.
