Prince Harry, the younger son of King Charles, along with several prominent British personalities, suffered a legal defeat on Tuesday in their privacy lawsuits against the publisher of the Daily Mail. Singer Elton John, his spouse David Furnish, and actors Sadie Frost and Elizabeth Hurley were among the group suing the publisher. They claimed that numerous stories about them, published in the Daily Mail and the Mail on Sunday between the 1990s and 2011, were based on unlawfully obtained information.
In a summary of the ruling, Judge Matthew Nicklin emphasized that the claimants had to demonstrate that the information published about them was acquired unlawfully, stating that mere suspicion was insufficient. The court dismissed the argument that private information automatically implied unlawful sourcing if the publisher could not definitively explain its origin.
Prince Harry, who previously testified in court in January, expressed disappointment with the decision, calling it a “whitewash.” The Daily Mail’s publisher, Associated Newspapers, referred to the allegations as smears and declared a comprehensive victory, asserting the dismissal of all claims against them.
This legal battle marked the conclusion of a series of lawsuits filed by Harry against tabloid publishers for their alleged unethical practices. Harry mentioned his partial successes in previous cases involving phone hacking, highlighting a shift in judicial attitudes towards such claims.
The Rupert Murdoch-led News Group in the U.K. issued a formal apology to Prince Harry for phone hacking and privacy breaches, acknowledging their wrongdoing. Despite these legal victories, Harry acknowledged that his public feud with the tabloids had strained his relationship with certain members of the Royal family.
The case also involved Elton John and David Furnish, who contested ten articles published between 2002 and 2015, including a piece on a concert commemorating the 10th anniversary of Princess Diana’s death. Furnish accused the Mail of being openly homophobic towards their relationship during his testimony.
Former Liberal Democratic MP Simon Hughes and anti-racism activist Doreen Lawrence were additional claimants in the lawsuit. Paul Dacre, the editor-in-chief of Associated Newspapers, criticized Prince Harry for publicly disclosing personal details in his book, questioning his right to complain about privacy invasion.
Amidst these legal battles, Prince Harry is currently in the U.K. for charity engagements, including events related to the Invictus Games, a competition he established for military veterans. Speculation surrounds whether he will reunite with his father during the trip, given their strained relationship and the absence of Harry’s family in the U.K.
The issue of Harry’s security arrangements in the U.K. has also surfaced, with British authorities asserting that he does not qualify for continuous protection as a non-working member of the Royal family. They evaluate his security needs on a case-by-case basis, similar to other public figures.