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Prince Harry Stares Down $13.4M Bill As Daily Mail Seeks Legal Costs
Prince Harry and the other claimants who lost their privacy lawsuit against Associated Newspapers Limited are facing another major financial setback.
The publisher of the Daily Mail is asking London’s High Court to order the group to make an interim legal payment of nearly £10 million ($13.4 million) following their courtroom defeat, adding to Harry’s growing financial pressures amid reports he was recently turned down after allegedly asking Sir Elton John for money.
Prince Harry, Sir Elton John, and five other public figures embroiled in a high-profile privacy lawsuit against Associated Newspapers Limited are facing a hefty £10 million bill ($13.4 million) after the publisher demanded an interim payment toward its legal costs.
During a costs hearing on Wednesday, lawyer Antony White KC said Associated Newspapers incurred more than £34.5 million ($46.2 million) defending the case and urged the court to award costs on an “indemnity basis,” according to the Financial Times.
If granted, the order would require Harry and the other claimants to cover the publisher’s legal fees in full without the usual requirement that the costs be strictly proportionate.
White blasted the claimants’ case, arguing they pursued serious allegations of misconduct without producing supporting evidence.
He also described the proceedings as a “banquet of litigation” aimed at waging a public campaign against the publisher and criticized Harry for calling the judge’s ruling “a complete and obvious whitewash.”
“It was entirely inappropriate and unreasonable,” White said.
Harry’s Legal Team Pushes Back Against £34.5M Claim
The court also heard that Harry and the other claimants have £16 million ($21.42 million) in insurance cover, but that amount would still fall short of the publisher’s reported legal costs, prompting Associated Newspapers to seek a £10 million ($13.4 million) interim payment.
However, Nicholas Bacon, representing the claimants, opposed the request for costs to be awarded on an “indemnity basis,” describing the £34.5 million bill as “eye-watering” and well above the agreed budget, according to the BBC.
He also cited reports alleging Associated Newspapers wanted “to go for the jugular” to ensure Harry and the other claimants regretted bringing the case. Instead, the claimants proposed making an interim payment of £8 million ($10.7 million) by August 28.
High Court judge Mr. Justice Nicklin is expected to rule on the costs liability and determine the final interim payment in the coming days.
Inside Harry’s Failed Privacy Lawsuit
4The lawsuit, first launched in 2022 by Prince Harry, Sir Elton John, David Furnish, Elizabeth Hurley, Baroness Doreen Lawrence, Sadie Frost, and Sir Simon Hughes, accused Associated Newspapers Limited of unlawful information gathering.
The allegations included phone hacking, landline interception, “blagging” private records, and using private investigators to obtain confidential information.
Earlier this month, however, Justice Nicklin dismissed all of the claims, ruling there was insufficient evidence to support the allegations and that the reporting could have come from lawful sources.
“In substance, the claimants’ case invites the Court to conclude that, because the information was private and because Associated cannot positively explain how it was sourced, the article must have been unlawfully sourced,” Nicklin wrote, according to AP News.
Harry’s Reported Cash Plea Left Elton ‘Furious’
4With mounting legal costs looming, questions remain over how Harry will manage the financial pressure.
Earlier this month, reports claimed he left Elton John “furious” after allegedly asking the music icon for financial help with the Invictus Games following the dismissal of their lawsuit.
Royal reporter Paula Froelich made the claim, citing sources who alleged the singer had “had enough of the wayward and hot-tempered Prince.”
“I am not an ATM,” Elton reportedly told Harry.
Froelich also claimed Harry visited Elton and David Furnish at their South of France home before traveling to London to seek financial assistance.
She added that Elton was unwilling to contribute, particularly because he was already expected to shoulder the bulk of the group’s legal costs if they lost the case.
Harry Set For UK Return As Palace Extends Offer
4Harry’s relationship with King Charles appears to remain a work in progress following their private reunion earlier this month.
The Duke is expected to return to the UK in September to attend the WellChild Awards in London. Reports suggest Buckingham Palace has offered him accommodation during the visit, although it remains unclear whether he will accept.
According to The Mirror, the offer has been described as a “peace offering” after previous accommodation arrangements ended unsuccessfully.
It is also unknown whether Harry will travel with Meghan Markle and their children, as security continues to be a major concern following RAVEC’s decision to deny his request for publicly funded police protection.
