Key facts
- Prince Harry and six other claimants lost their phone-hacking case against Associated Newspapers.
- The judge dismissed all claims, stating evidence did not prove information was obtained unlawfully.
- Associated Newspapers' legal costs are estimated to be over £34 million.
- The claimants had insurance covering £16.2 million of the publisher's costs.
- A shortfall in costs may lead to claimants, including Prince Harry, being pursued for payment.
Prince Harry and a group of six other high-profile individuals are facing a substantial legal bill after losing their phone-hacking case against the Daily Mail's publisher, Associated Newspapers. The group's claims of illegal information gathering and serious privacy breaches were dismissed by a judge in July after an 11-week trial.
The judge stated that the claimants failed to prove their allegations, noting the evidence did not demonstrate that the information was obtained unlawfully. Associated Newspapers' legal costs are estimated to have exceeded £34 million, with the final amount to be decided on Friday. The claimants had secured insurance to cover £16.2 million of these costs.
Legal experts suggest that a shortfall in the covered costs may require the claimants to pay the remainder, and Associated Newspapers is likely to pursue Prince Harry for payment. The resolution of these costs could be a lengthy process, potentially mirroring the two years and seven months it took to resolve the costs in the Wagatha Christie libel case, although a settlement is considered more likely.
Associated Newspapers has applied for the costs to be paid on an indemnity basis, which could result in a larger payout. However, this depends on proving the claimants' conduct during the litigation was unreasonable. Critics have pointed to the conduct of Prince Harry and Doreen Lawrence, though comments made after the judgment are unlikely to be considered by the court.