Prince Harry has lost his legal case against the publisher of the Daily Mail after London’s High Court dismissed allegations of unlawful information gathering brought against the newspaper group.
In a written judgment issued after an 11-week trial, the court ruled that the claimants failed to prove their allegations, leading to the dismissal of the case.
Associated Newspapers, publisher of the Daily Mail, described the ruling as an “overwhelming victory” and said the judgment vindicated its journalists and reporting practices.
The company said the court dismissed all 97 allegations made by the claimants, adding that claims involving illegal surveillance, phone interception and unauthorised access to bank accounts were unsupported by credible evidence.
There was no immediate response from Prince Harry’s representatives following the judgment.
The ruling was delivered as the Duke of Sussex attended an Invictus Games event in London. The sporting event for wounded military veterans, founded by Harry in 2014, is scheduled to be hosted in Birmingham next July.
The prince is expected to return to court on July 29 and 30 for a hearing that could determine legal costs for him and the six other claimants. Associated Newspapers said it spent about £50 million defending the case and intends to seek recovery of its legal expenses.
During the trial, Harry and several other high-profile figures, including singer Elton John and actress Elizabeth Hurley, accused the publisher of unlawfully invading their privacy.
The case was the final major lawsuit brought by Prince Harry against British tabloid publishers as part of his long-running legal campaign over alleged media misconduct.
Harry is also involved in separate legal disputes concerning his police protection in the United Kingdom following his withdrawal from royal duties in 2020.
The Duke of Sussex arrived in Britain for a five-day visit linked to preparations for the 2027 Invictus Games. However, his wife, Meghan, and their children did not accompany him after the family was denied automatic police protection during visits to the UK.
Prince Harry has repeatedly stated that security concerns have affected his ability to bring his family to Britain and has continued to campaign for the restoration of his official protection.
