Prince Harry and other celebrities lost all 97 claims of their High Court privacy case against the Daily Mail, and have been told they are liable for legal costs worth almost £34.5m. The cost of the trial was revealed around the same time as Meghan Markle's episode of MasterChef Australia aired.
Meghan is said to be annoyed over Harry's failed court case. TalkTV presenter Kevin O'Sullivan delivered a scathing takedown of the couple over her MasterChef episode and his loss against the Daily Mail.
Kevin O'Sullivan on Harry's costs
Speaking on TalkTV, Kevin O'Sullivan said: "As Meghan Markle starred in a stomach-churning episode of Master Chef Australia, her hopeless husband Harry was counting the crippling cost of his humiliation in a London court. The dim Duke now faces the grim prospect of a personal Bill adding up to more than two and a half million pounds. That's $3.3m in America and getting on for $5m Aussie dollars. Can he afford it? Can he hell."
He added: "There have been reports that Harry tried in vain to get the infinitely richer Elton John to pick up the tab. No dice. The runaway royals bright idea to tap into the rocket man's vast wealth was swiftly extinguished like a candle in the wind. Word is that Harry and Elton's bruising battle to bash the British press has taken a terminal toll on their once close friendship, leaving the desperate Duke with no one to turn to for financial help."
Meghan's reported reaction
Later in the video, Kevin continued to claim that Meghan has been left cross with Harry over his determination to pursue the claim, saying: "This is now landing Harry with this massive bill. We know we know that the Sussexes and their huge costs and expenses for their massive $19 million mansion in Monteito, all their security expenses, their mortgage. We know they're struggling for cash. Megan told Harry quite a long time ago. Look, give up this battle with the newspapers. Don't do it. It's a hiding to nothing. But he wouldn't. He carried on. So she is right now, trust me, folks, pretty furious with her hopeless husband. That's a lot of flower sprinkles she's going to have to sell to put up with her husband. It's absolutely appalling that Harry pursued this case in the first place."
Costs ruling due next month
It has not been made clear how the legal costs will be shared between Harry and the other seven claimants, even though they have obtained insurance cover totalling £16.2 million. After the latest hearing on Thursday, Mr Justice Nicklin said he would give his decision on the size of an initial payment the group will make to ANL, as well as how the costs will be assessed, in a written ruling next month.
