Prince Harry, Elton John Ordered to Pay £9.54 Million in Daily Mail Legal Costs

Britain’s Prince Harry, singer Elton John and other prominent figures have been ordered to make a £9.54 million ($12.7 million) interim payment toward the legal costs of Daily Mail publisher Associated Newspapers after losing their high-profile privacy lawsuits.

Judge Matthew Nicklin issued the costs ruling on Friday, ordering the claimants to make the payment by August 28. The decision follows Nicklin’s rejection last month of claims brought by Prince Harry, Elton John and five other individuals alleging widespread unlawful information-gathering practices, including phone hacking, by Associated Newspapers’ publications.

Nicklin also ruled that additional legal costs should be paid on an “indemnity basis,” a measure that could significantly increase the claimants’ financial exposure. He criticized how the lawsuits were conducted, saying some serious allegations relied on speculative evidence and were not withdrawn when claimants stopped pursuing them.

“The conduct was unreasonable to a high degree,” Nicklin said.

Associated Newspapers has reported legal expenses totaling £34.5 million ($45.8 million). However, the claimants’ insurance coverage is limited to £16 million, potentially leaving Harry and the other plaintiffs responsible for millions of pounds personally. The final amount payable has not yet been determined and could be assessed in separate proceedings if the parties cannot reach an agreement.

The ruling represents another major setback for Prince Harry in his long-running legal battles with Britain’s tabloid press. Harry previously secured a victory against the publisher of the Daily Mirror and settled a separate case involving Rupert Murdoch’s British newspaper business.

During the 11-week trial, Nicklin concluded that the claimants had failed to prove that information published about them had been obtained unlawfully, emphasizing that suspicion alone was insufficient.

Associated Newspapers described the latest costs decision as another major victory for the Mail and its journalism. Harry’s spokesperson did not comment on Friday’s ruling, although the prince previously characterized the dismissal of the lawsuit as a “complete and obvious whitewash.”

The decision comes shortly after reports that Harry, Meghan and their two children are preparing to move back to Britain from California. No decision has yet been announced on whether Harry and the other claimants will appeal.