Prince Harry has lost his legal battle against the publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday. The U.K. High Court dismissed all claims, bringing a close to Harry’s legal confrontations with British media outlets. The case included other claimants such as Elton John and Elizabeth Hurley, accusing Associated Newspapers (ANL), the publisher, of unlawfully gathering information through methods like phone tapping and impersonation.
These alleged activities were said to have occurred between 1993 and 2011, with claims continuing until 2018. ANL denied any wrongdoing, labeling the accusations as “preposterous” and maintained that the articles in question were based on lawful information from individuals close to the claimants. ANL argued the case should be dismissed due to the time elapsed since the alleged incidents.
During the initial proceedings in January, Harry expressed that press intrusion left him “paranoid beyond belief.” Previously, The Sun newspaper’s publisher apologized and compensated Harry for similar methods. In 2023, Harry won 15 out of 33 phone hacking claims against Mirror Group Newspapers, receiving about $180,000 in damages, with further compensation coming the next year.
This ruling occurred during a rare visit by Harry to the U.K., amid discussions about whether his wife Meghan and their children, Archie and Lilibet, would accompany him. The visit brought up issues regarding accommodation and security for Harry and his family.
Harry has a longstanding contention with the media, blaming them for his mother Princess Diana’s death in a car accident in 1997 due to a chase by paparazzi. He also cited media attacks on Meghan as a factor in their decision to leave their royal duties and relocate to the U.S. in 2020.