Harry, others face million pound bill over lost lawsuit

Prince Harry, Elton John and several other high-profile individuals face a potential million pound bill after a judge ruled their failed privacy lawsuits were conducted in an unreasonable manner. The judge, Matthew Nicklin, ordered the claimants to pay 9.54 million pounds towards the legal costs of Associated Newspapers, the publisher of the Daily Mail.

This decision comes after the judge comprehensively rejected the case brought by Prince Harry and five other figures, dismissing allegations of widespread unlawful activities such as phone hacking by Mail titles. The ruling marks a significant setback for Prince Harry and the others, as it means they must pay towards Associated's costs without the publisher needing to prove these were reasonable and proportionate.

The judge criticized the claimants' case, stating that the allegations rested on speculative and inferential foundations, making the case significantly outside the norm. Associated Newspapers welcomed the ruling, calling it a "victory for the Mail and its journalism". The court was informed that Associated had incurred a legal bill of 34.5 million pounds, while the claimants' insurance covered only 16 million pounds. The claimants' lawyer acknowledged the eye-watering legal bill, far exceeding an agreed budget.