July 7 marked a significant day for Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, who suffered a defeat in a long-running legal dispute with the British publishing giant Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL). The court's ruling was announced at the very moment the Prince arrived in London to attend an event dedicated to his Invictus Games initiative.
The Privacy Breach Case
Prince Harry was one of seven plaintiffs in a class-action lawsuit filed against ANL. Among his fellow litigants were such famous figures as pop music legend Elton John, actress Elizabeth Hurley, and Jude Law's ex-wife, Sadie Frost. All of them accused the publisher of violating their right to privacy.
The essence of the claims was that the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday, owned by ANL, had published material obtained illegally for over two decades—from the 1990s to 2011. The plaintiffs alleged that journalists used private detectives, resorted to deception, phone hacking, and even bribery to obtain exclusive information.
Verdict by Judge Matthew Nicklin
Following a massive 46-day trial, Judge Matthew Nicklin delivered a ruling that completely dismissed the plaintiffs' claims. In his verdict, he emphasized that the parties failed to present convincing evidence of illegal data collection. According to the judge, mere suspicion is insufficient for such serious accusations, and the submitted materials did not confirm a link between the published articles and unlawful actions.
The next hearing, dedicated to the enforcement of the court's decision, is scheduled for July 29 and 30.
Reaction from Both Sides
At Associated Newspapers Limited, the court's decision was hailed as a "decisive victory" for the Daily Mail, its journalists, and the principles of press freedom. Company representatives also stated their intention to seek reimbursement of all legal costs.
Prince Harry himself, despite the court setback, showed no visible signs of disappointment. At the event at London's Chatham House, he appeared focused and cheerful, as noted by the attending journalists.
A History of Legal Battles
This is not the first attempt by Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan to defend their rights in court against tabloids. Previously, they successfully won a case against the Mail on Sunday regarding the publication of a private letter from Meghan to her father in 2018. The court then ordered the publication to pay compensation of £1 million. Additionally, Harry reached a settlement with the publisher of The Sun, which paid compensation and issued an official apology for illegal activities.
