Prince Harry's Phone-Hacking Suit Against Daily Mail Dismissed
A UK court has ruled that Prince Harry and other claimants failed to prove allegations of phone hacking and other illegal information gathering by the Daily Mail's publisher.
A High Court judge has dismissed Prince Harry's lawsuit alleging that the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday engaged in unlawful phone hacking, landline tapping and bugging of homes and vehicles. The case, brought in 2022 alongside other public figures such as Elton John and Elizabeth Hurley, was found to lack sufficient evidence, and the court ruled that none of the claimants had proven their claims.
Judge Nicklin criticized the way the allegations were presented, noting that the claimants had not consistently linked specific statements to deliberate falsehoods and that the case shifted from specific accusations of lies to broader criticisms of the publisher's response to the Leveson Inquiry. He also commented on Prince Harry's testimony, saying that while the prince sought to convey the personal impact of the issues, his evidence remained acceptable but limited on the contested matters.
A hearing on costs, estimated at around $40 million, will be scheduled later. The publisher, Associated Newspapers, issued a statement calling the judgment a vindication of its journalism and indicating it will seek to recover its legal expenses.
The ruling adds to Prince Harry's ongoing legal battles with the British press, following earlier actions against other newspaper groups.