Prince Harry and six other claimants have been ordered by the High Court to make an interim payment of £9.54 million towards the legal costs of Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL), the publisher of the Daily Mail, after losing their privacy case.
The payment of £9,544,355 must be made by 28 August 2026. The amount is an initial contribution towards ANL’s legal costs, while the final sum the claimants will have to pay remains to be determined.
Seven Claimants Face the Initial Court Bill
The case was brought by seven prominent figures: Prince Harry, Sir Elton John, David Furnish, Sir Simon Hughes, Elizabeth Hurley, Sadie Frost and Baroness Doreen Lawrence.
They alleged that Associated Newspapers had obtained private information through unlawful information-gathering practices. The allegations included the use of private investigators, phone hacking, obtaining information through deception and other intrusive methods. ANL denied wrongdoing.
The claims were dismissed by Mr Justice Nicklin on 7 July 2026 following an 11-week trial. The court concluded that the claimants had not established their allegations on the balance of probabilities.
Why the Legal Costs Have Become a Major Issue
After winning the case, Associated Newspapers sought payment towards the costs it had incurred during the litigation. The publisher told the court that its legal costs had reached about £34.5 million.
At the costs hearing in July, ANL sought an interim payment of nearly £10 million. The claimants’ lawyers had proposed an £8 million payment by 28 August and argued against the use of an indemnity basis for assessing the publisher’s costs.
The court has now ordered the higher interim figure of £9,544,355. This does not represent the final amount that the seven claimants may ultimately have to pay.
Judge Orders Costs to Be Assessed on Indemnity Basis
A significant part of the latest ruling concerns how Associated Newspapers’ costs will be assessed.
Mr Justice Nicklin ordered that the publisher’s costs should generally be assessed on an indemnity basis. This approach can allow a successful party to recover a greater proportion of its costs than under the standard basis, subject to the court’s assessment.
The judge criticised the way some allegations had been pursued during the litigation. He found that serious allegations had continued despite the evidential position changing and said the manner in which the claims were brought and maintained went beyond ordinary and reasonable civil litigation.
Final Legal Bill Has Yet to Be Decided
Despite the £9.54 million order, the financial consequences of the case are not yet fully settled.
Associated Newspapers’ reported costs of about £34.5 million are substantially higher than the interim payment ordered by the court. The final amount recoverable by the publisher will depend on the subsequent assessment of its costs.
The claimants also have the option of continuing to pursue an appeal against the July judgment, with the appeal process linked to the outcome of the costs proceedings.
Court Defeat Adds to Harry’s Legal Challenges
The latest costs order marks another significant stage in Prince Harry’s long-running legal disputes with British media organisations.
The underlying case against Associated Newspapers was one of the most closely watched privacy lawsuits involving the Duke of Sussex. The High Court’s July judgment dismissed all seven claims after a trial that ran from January to March 2026.
For now, the immediate financial obligation is clear: Prince Harry and his six fellow claimants must make the £9.54 million interim payment by 28 August. The court will determine the final costs position at a later stage.
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