Prince Harry’s Next Major Case Against British Newspapers Gets New Update, Legal Costs Ordered to Be Slashed

Mar. 15, 2025

Prince Harry leaves court in an earlier case, against the Mirror Group, in June 2023.Photo:Carl Court/Getty

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, leaves after giving evidence at the Mirror Group Phone hacking trial at the Rolls Building at High Court on June 7, 2023 in London, England. Prince Harry is one of several claimants in a lawsuit against Mirror Group Newspapers related to allegations of unlawful information gathering in previous decades.

Carl Court/Getty

Prince Harryhas been instructed to curb his spending on his next legal battle with a British newspaper group.

This comes after a pre-trial hearing revealed that Associated Newspapers — the publisher of theDaily Mailand theMail on Sunday— had initially sought to spend $24.7 million for the 45-day trial, while the claimants were aiming to spend around $23.4 million.

Associated Newspapers has denied the allegations, dismissing them as “preposterous smears,” theBBC reported.

Prince Harry at the High Court in London in June 2023.ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, waves as he arrives to the Royal Courts of Justice, Britain’s High Court, in central London

ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images

Harry himself appeared in court when proceedings began in March 2023, and several pre-trial hearings have taken place since then.

Almost two years ago, in March 2023, Harry made an appearance in court as the case kicked off. There have been several pre-trial hearings since.

Harry initiated these legal actions in October 2019, signaling a shift in his approach to the British press, marking a departure from the royal family’s historically restrained stance on media disputes.

Prince Harry at an earlier case, against the Daily Mirror, in London in June 2023.Leon Neal/Getty Images

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex arrives to give evidence at the Mirror Group Phone hacking trial at the Rolls Building at High Court on June 06, 2023 in London

Leon Neal/Getty Images

On Jan. 22, Harry and co-claimant former Labour MP Lord (Tom) Watson reached a settlement withThe Sunpublisher, receiving “a full and unequivocal apology” and at least $12 million in damages. After the hearing, their lawyer, David Sherborne, called it a “monumental victory,” adding, “This represents a vindication for the hundreds of other claimants who were strong-armed into settling, without being able to get to the truth of what was done to them.”

Prince Harry’s lawyer David Sherborne outside court in London on Jan. 22, 2024.James Manning/PA Images via Getty

The Duke of Sussex’s barrister, David Sherborne (left) arrives at the Rolls Building in London. The Duke of Sussex and former Labour deputy leader Lord Tom Watson are bringing legal action against News Group Newspapers (NGN), publisher of The Sun and the now-defunct News Of The World, over allegations of unlawful information gathering.

James Manning/PA Images via Getty

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Harry’s uncle,Charles Spencer, praised him for his determination to hold the media accountable. “It takes an enormous amount of guts to take on major media organisations like this, and incredible tenacity to win against them,” Spencer, 60, wrote in anInstagram postnext to a screenshot of aBBC News reportabout Harry’s legal victory.

source: people.com

Prince Harry’s Next Major Case Against British Newspapers Gets New Update, Legal Costs Ordered to Be Slashed

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