Prince Harry and several celebrities must pay 9.5 million pounds in initial legal costs to Daily Mail owner Associated Newspapers, a London High Court judge ruled Friday.
The judge ordered the claimants to make the initial payment of 9.5 million pounds, equivalent to 11 million euros, by August 28 following four years of legal proceedings over phone hacking allegations.
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex and younger son of King Charles III, brought the case alongside actress Liz Hurley and David Furnish, the husband of musician Sir Elton John. The court order comes shortly after Prince Harry announced a surprise return to the United Kingdom with his wife and children.
High Court phone tapping trial
The financial ruling follows a high-profile trial held at the High Court of Justice in London in early July. During the trial, the claimants failed to prove that the tabloid publisher had intercepted voicemails or listened to phone conversations to gather information for around 50 news articles published between 1993 and 2018.
Associated Newspapers Limited, the owner of the Daily Mail, sought financial compensation covering a large part of the 34.5 million pounds, or 40 million euros, it reported spending during the four-year court battle. The publisher had requested an initial payment within two weeks of the decision.
The High Court judge rejected a request from the claimants to cap the overall cost amount, which will be formally determined at a later date. However, the judge described the publisher's total financial demand as exceptionally high and largely unexplained.
Publisher victory and legal fees insurance
Following the ruling on Friday, a spokesperson for Associated Newspapers Limited welcomed the decision, calling it a resounding victory for the Mail and its journalism. The spokesperson added that the truth was those scandalous allegations should never have been brought in court.
Prince Harry had previously denounced the trial verdict when it was delivered, describing the judgment as inconsistent and shocking.
Written submissions filed by defence lawyer Nicholas Bacon revealed that Prince Harry and the other celebrities had taken out legal insurance policies covering up to 16.2 million pounds, or 19 million euros, in court expenses.
Because total costs remain uncapped by the court, the claimants could theoretically still face up to 18.3 million pounds, or 21.3 million euros, in out-of-pocket expenses if further legal costs are awarded to the publisher.
