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Prince Harry and six other claimants ordered to pay initial £9.5 million after failed Daily Mail privacy lawsuit

A London High Court judge ruled the claimants exhibited unreasonable conduct and declined to cap legal costs, leaving them exposed to millions more in liabilities.

Updated Aug 24, 2026 · 00:33 UTC3 reports

The short version

  • A London High Court judge ordered Prince Harry, Sir Elton John, and five other high-profile claimants to pay an interim £9.54 million to Daily Mail publisher Associated Newspapers Ltd. by August 28.
  • The ruling follows the July dismissal of all 97 privacy invasion and unlawful information-gathering claims brought against the publisher.
  • The judge declined to cap the publisher's recoverable expenses despite calling the £34.5 million defense bill seemingly excessive, leaving the claimants exposed to roughly £18 million beyond their £16.2 million insurance coverage.
  • The claimants have until October 2 to decide whether to appeal the decision, while remaining costs are expected to undergo detailed assessment.

Key facts

  • Justice Matthew Nicklin ordered Prince Harry, Sir Elton John, David Furnish, Baroness Doreen Lawrence, Sadie Frost, Liz Hurley, and Sir Simon Hughes to make an interim payment of £9.54 million (roughly $13 million) to Associated Newspapers Ltd. by August 28.[BBC News · PBS NewsHour]
  • Justice Nicklin ruled costs will be assessed on an indemnity basis, criticizing the claimants' conduct as 'unreasonable to a high degree' for failing to withdraw serious allegations when evidential support was lacking.[BBC News · PBS NewsHour]
  • Associated Newspapers claimed defense costs of up to £34.5 million, exceeding an initial £16 million budget estimate.[BBC News · ABC News]
  • The claimants held insurance covering approximately £16.2 million, leaving them potentially liable for up to £18 million more if the full defense costs are approved.[BBC News · PBS NewsHour]
  • The High Court dismissed all 97 claims of unlawful information gathering on July 7 following an 11-week trial, citing insufficient evidence.[BBC News · ABC News · PBS NewsHour]

What remains uncertain

  • The final amount the claimants will ultimately pay remains unsettled, as specialized costs judges may further assess whether the publisher's total bill was reasonably incurred.[BBC News · PBS NewsHour]
  • It is not yet known whether the claimants will appeal either the substantive ruling or the costs judgment before the October 2 deadline.[BBC News · PBS NewsHour]

Sources