Prince Harry’s Next Major Case Against British Newspapers Gets New Update, Legal Costs Ordered to Be Slashed

Prince Harry has been ordered to cut his spending on his next legal battle with a British newspaper group.

Two days after he settled his latest claim against Rupert Murdoch’s tabloids Sunthe Duke of Sussex’s legal team has been told that costs in his case against another media giant could reach as little as $5.1 million. It is a publisher Daily Mailalso sued by Harry, along with other high-profile plaintiffs, received the same cap, with their costs capped at $5.6 million, according to The Independent.

This comes after a pretrial hearing revealed that Associated Newspapers — the publisher of the magazine Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday — originally sought to spend $24.7 million for the 45-day trial, while prosecutors intended to spend about $23.4 million.

Harry’s case against Associated Newspapers is scheduled for a year, in 2026, and marks the final legal action in a series of lawsuits the prince has brought against British newspapers. He is joined by high-profile figures including pop star Elton John, actress Elizabeth Hurley, Jude Law’s ex-wife Sadie Frost, British politician Simon Hughes and Baroness Doreen Lawrence in suing Associated Newspapers (ANL) for allegedly unlawfully gathering information.

Associated Newspapers rejected the allegations, dismissing them as “nonsensical smears,” the BBC reported.

Prince Harry at the High Court in London in June 2023.

ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images

She reported cost limits Financial Times On January 24, it was discussed at the preliminary hearing. Two judges, Mr. Justice Nicklin and Judge David Cook, ruled that they “had little difficulty in concluding that these amounts were manifestly excessive,” noting that the plaintiffs’ legal teams have significant expertise in this type of litigation and “were not starting from scratch,” a reported reference to other litigation, including the recent case against Sun.

Harry himself appeared in court when the proceedings began in March 2023, and several pre-trial hearings have been held since then.

Prince Harry says his fight against tabloids is ‘centrepiece’ of rift with royal family

Almost two years ago, in March 2023, Harry appeared in court when the case began. Since then, several preparatory hearings have been held.

Harry launched the legal proceedings in October 2019, signaling a shift in his approach to the British press, marking a departure from the royal family’s historically reserved stance on media disputes.

Just a few months later, in early 2020, Harry and his wife Meghan Markle stepped down from royal duties and moved to Canada, then California. Reflecting on the impact the allegations have had on his relationship with his family, Harry admitted in an interview with ITV Tabloids on trial that the legal battles have taken a personal toll. “Yeah, it’s definitely the centerpiece,” he said.

Prince Harry in an earlier case, against the Daily Mirror, in London in June 2023.

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On 22 January, Harry and co-plaintiff former Labor MP Lord (Tom) Watson reached a settlement with Sun publisher, receiving a “full and unequivocal apology” and at least $12 million in damages. After the hearing, their lawyer, David Sherborne, called it a “monumental victory”, adding: “This represents vindication for the hundreds of other claimants who were strong arms in the settlement without being able to get to the truth about what was done to them.”

Charles Spencer praises Prince Harry’s nephew’s tabloid court win: Princess Diana would be ‘rightfully proud’

“After endless resistance, denial and legal battles by News Group Newspapers, including spending more than a billion pounds on payouts and legal fees (as well as paying off those in the know) to prevent the full picture from coming out, News UK has finally called to account for his illegal actions and blatant disregard for the law,” Sherborne continued. “She also specifically admitted wrongdoing against Tom Watson and admitted wrongdoing Sunas well as by News from the worldagainst Prince Harry.”

Prince Harry’s lawyer David Sherborne outside a court in London on January 22, 2024.

James Manning/PA Images via Getty

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Harry’s uncle, Charles Spencer, praised him for his determination to hold the media to account. “It takes an enormous amount of courage to stand up to big media organizations like this and incredible tenacity to win against them,” Spencer, 60, wrote in an Instagram post alongside an image of a BBC News report on Harry’s legal victory.

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Source: HIS Education