The High Court in London has ordered Prince Harry and six other prominent figures to pay £9,544,355 to Associated Newspapers Limited, publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday, as an interim contribution towards its legal costs following the collapse of their privacy lawsuit.
![](https://thenigerialawyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/ELLAN.png")
![](https://thenigerialawyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2026-Summer-IDRI-Masterclass.jpg")
The payment must be made by August 28, 2026, although the amount represents only an initial contribution and the claimants could ultimately face a substantially larger bill.
The order was made on Friday by Mr Justice Matthew Nicklin following a two-day hearing devoted to determining the legal costs arising from the failed action.
Alongside the Duke of Sussex, the other claimants are Baroness Doreen Lawrence, actress Elizabeth Hurley, musician Sir Elton John, filmmaker David Furnish, former politician Sir Simon Hughes and actress Sadie Frost.
The seven had sued Associated Newspapers over allegations that information used in stories published by its newspapers and websites had been obtained through unlawful means.
They alleged practices including phone hacking, deception to obtain private information, use of private investigators and other forms of unlawful information gathering.
Associated Newspapers denied the allegations throughout the proceedings.
Following a lengthy trial earlier this year, Justice Nicklin dismissed all the claims in a judgment delivered on July 7, 2026.
The court held that the claimants had failed to establish that the information complained of had been unlawfully obtained.
The judge found that much of the case depended on inference and speculation rather than sufficient evidence directly connecting the disputed stories to unlawful information-gathering practices.
The court subsequently returned to consider which party should bear the substantial legal costs generated by the litigation.
At the costs hearing, Associated Newspapers disclosed that its expenditure defending the cases had risen to more than £34 million.
Justice Nicklin ordered the claimants to make an interim payment of £9,544,355 while the full amount recoverable by the publisher is subsequently assessed.
The judge also directed that much of Associated Newspapers’ costs should be assessed on an indemnity basis, a costs regime more favourable to the successful party than the ordinary standard basis.
In reaching that decision, the judge criticised aspects of the manner in which the litigation had been pursued.
He referred to the speculative nature of some of the original allegations, the unusually broad scope of the claims and the continued pursuit of serious accusations against individuals even where the available evidence had not ultimately supported them.
The judge also considered the fact that allegations of serious wrongdoing had been publicly advanced but were not established at trial.
Associated Newspapers welcomed the costs ruling, portraying it as further vindication following its victory in the substantive case.
The publisher has maintained throughout the litigation that its journalists did not engage in the unlawful activities alleged by the claimants.
The £9.54 million payment does not necessarily represent the claimants’ final liability.
The publisher’s total claimed legal costs exceed £34 million, and further proceedings may be required to determine precisely how much of that amount the seven claimants must ultimately pay.
Reports indicate that the claimants have legal expenses insurance covering part, but not all, of their potential liability.
The latest ruling follows the High Court’s July 7 judgment dismissing the seven cases after a trial that lasted 46 sitting days between January 19 and March 31, 2026.
The allegations concerned numerous articles and incidents said by the claimants to involve unlawful gathering of private information.
In its judgment, the court emphasised that it was for the claimants to prove their allegations on the balance of probabilities.
Although the allegations involved claims of dishonesty, unlawful conduct and improper information gathering, the court concluded that the required evidence had not been produced to establish the claims.
The judgment represented a major setback for Prince Harry’s broader campaign against sections of the British tabloid media.
He has previously pursued separate proceedings against other newspaper groups over allegations of phone hacking and unlawful intrusion into his private life.
In December 2023, Harry obtained damages after winning part of his case against Mirror Group Newspapers, while in January 2025 he reached a settlement with News Group Newspapers, publisher of The Sun.
His case against Associated Newspapers, however, ended differently, with all the claims dismissed.
The latest costs decision substantially increases the financial consequences of that defeat.
The claimants have until October 2 to seek permission to appeal the substantive judgment or the costs decision.
Until any appeal is successfully pursued, however, the £9,544,355 interim payment remains due to Associated Newspapers by August 28.
The book also examines Nigeria's legal ecosystem, focusing on the LPELR and NBA AI Guidelines. As a bonus, every purchase comes with a FREE eBook titled: How to Use the AI Features in LegalPedia and LawPavilion.
Ohio Books Ltd praises the publication, stating:
"....this is the only Nigerian book I know of on the topic."
How to Order:
📞 Call, Text, or WhatsApp: 08034917063 | 07055285878
📧 Email: benadigwe1@gmail.com
🌎 Website: www.benadigwe.com
Ebook Version: Access it directly online at https://selar.com/prv626
Authored by Ben Ijeoma Adigwe Esq., ACIarb (UK), LL.M, Dip. in Artificial Intelligence, Director at the Delta State Ministry of Justice, Asaba, Nigeria.
_______________________________________________________________________
“Order Justice Omolaye-Ajileye’s Electronic Evidence Books Now” — Essential Guides On Evidence Act, Case Law And Digital Proof
Interested buyers are encouraged to place their orders and enquiries via:
0704 444 4777, 0704 444 4999, 0818 199 9888
Website: www.alexandernigeria.com
