Prince Harry and six others face privacy case legal bill of up to £34.5m

Prince Harry and six other public figures, including Sir Elton John and Liz Hurley, face a potential legal bill of up to £34.5 million, following a High Court judge's exceptional order for costs in their failed privacy case. The seven claimants, including Sir Simon Hughes, Sadie Frost, and Baroness Doreen Lawrence, must pay an initial £9.54 million to Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) by next Friday.

The judge criticized the claimants for presenting their cases "unreasonably to a high degree" and stated that a £34.5 million payment to ANL was "excessive". However, the judge did not impose a strict ceiling on ANL's recoverable costs, as it could be considered arbitrary. ANL had insurance to cover up to £16.2 million of its costs in case of losing the case, but the judge's ruling means the newspaper group could now attempt to recover up to £34.5 million.

The claimants have until October 2 to attempt to appeal the decision. The judge noted that the claimants had failed to withdraw serious allegations of criminality or impropriety, which was "unreasonable to a high degree". ANL described the ruling as a "devastating critique" of their attempt to destroy the newspaper and the reputations of its journalists, editors, and executives.