Prince Harry, the younger son of King Charles, along with several other prominent British personalities, faced a setback on Tuesday as they lost their legal battles over privacy against the publisher of the Daily Mail. Singer Elton John, his husband David Furnish, and actresses Sadie Frost and Elizabeth Hurley were among those who sued the publisher, alleging that numerous stories about them published in the Daily Mail and the Mail on Sunday between the 1990s and 2011 were obtained unlawfully.
Judge Matthew Nicklin emphasized in a summary of his ruling that the claimants needed concrete evidence to demonstrate that the information published about them was unlawfully obtained, stating that mere suspicion was insufficient. The court dismissed the argument that information being private automatically implied unlawful sourcing just because the publisher could not clarify its origins.
Prince Harry, who had previously testified in court in January, expressed disappointment in a statement released to British media outlets, calling the decision a “whitewash” but not entirely unexpected. Associated Newspapers refuted the allegations, labeling them as smears and declaring a comprehensive victory for the Daily Mail and its journalists.
The legal battle marked the final lawsuit in a series of cases where Prince Harry accused tabloid publishers of employing illicit tactics. Notably, previous judgments in hacking claims against News Group Newspapers and Mirror Group Newspapers were mentioned in Harry’s statement, highlighting a shift in the court’s stance.
In a separate case, Rupert Murdoch-led News Group in the U.K. issued a formal apology to Prince Harry for phone hacking and privacy breaches, acknowledging their misconduct from 1996 to 2011. The court dismissed the claim that Murdoch’s newspaper group had a clandestine arrangement with Buckingham Palace to prevent royal lawsuits.
Prince Harry’s ongoing crusade against tabloids has been linked to family tensions, with the royal expressing his discontent with media intrusion, partly attributing it to the tragic death of his mother, Princess Diana. Similarly, Elton John has a history of legal disputes with British tabloids, including a libel case in 2006 where the Daily Mail paid damages for false reporting.
The court proceedings also involved other claimants, such as former Liberal Democratic MP Simon Hughes and anti-racism activist Doreen Lawrence. Associated’s former editor-in-chief, Paul Dacre, criticized Prince Harry’s actions, referencing personal disclosures in his book and questioning his stance on privacy violations.
Prince Harry’s current visit to the U.K. for charity engagements, including the Invictus Games, has sparked speculation about potential family interactions given the strained relationships. Security concerns around Harry’s visit have also emerged, with British authorities asserting that his security arrangements are evaluated on an individual basis, considering his non-working royal status.