21.8.2026
Britain’s Prince Harry, singer Elton John and other high-profile claimants face paying millions of dollars out of their own pockets to cover the legal costs of the Daily Mail’s publisher after a judge ruled their failed privacy lawsuits were conducted in an unreasonable way.
Judge Matthew Nicklin’s judgment on costs, which was published on Friday, ordered an interim payment from the claimants of £9.54 million, due by August 28, towards the legal costs of Associated Newspapers.
In a further damaging blow, Nicklin said the additional costs should be paid on an “indemnity basis”, meaning Associated does not need to show they were reasonable and proportionate.
Last month, Nicklin comprehensively rejected the case brought by King Charles’ younger son, John and five other figures, rejecting allegations that the Mail titles had engaged in widespread unlawful activities, such as phone hacking.
The full extent of the payments due to Associated was not announced on Friday. If it cannot be agreed between the parties, Associated’s costs will be assessed in separate proceedings.
The ruling comes days after the surprise news that Harry, who stepped down from official duties in 2020, will return with his wife Meghan and their two children to live in Britain from their current home in California.
Nicklin, explaining the decision on costs, was highly critical of the way the claimants’ case had been put, including that serious allegations had rested on “speculative and inferential” foundations and had not been withdrawn when they were no longer being pursued.
“In my judgment, the cumulative effect of these matters takes the case well outside the norm. The conduct was unreasonable to a high degree,” Nicklin said.
A spokesman for Associated Newspapers called the ruling “another overwhelming victory for the Mail and its journalism”.
There was no comment from Harry’s spokesperson. In July, Harry called the dismissal of the lawsuit “a complete and obvious whitewash”. Agency reports