The High Court has dismissed all claims brought by Prince Harry and six other prominent figures against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL), publisher of the Daily Mail, over allegations of unlawful information gathering. Mr Justice Nicklin ruled that the claimants failed to prove their allegations, describing the case as one that should never have gone to trial.
ANL welcomed the judgment as an overwhelming victory for the Daily Mail and its journalists. The publisher stated that the allegations, which included claims of bugging cars and homes and illicitly accessing bank accounts, were 'lurid' and 'preposterous,' and that no credible evidence had been presented. The judge accepted the honesty of the journalists' evidence about how they sourced their stories.
The claimants, including Elton John, Elizabeth Hurley, and Doreen Lawrence, now face a potential legal bill of up to £50 million. ANL said it will seek to recover its costs incurred in defending the litigation, which wasted valuable court time and substantial financial resources.
Prince Harry, who is currently in the UK for charity engagements, has been at the forefront of legal actions against British newspapers. He previously won damages from the Daily Mirror in a phone-hacking case. However, this latest ruling represents a significant setback for his campaign against press intrusion.
