– LONDON, United Kingdom
In a landmark ruling issued on July 7, 2026, the UK High Court dismissed the privacy claim filed by Prince Harry and six other claimants against Associated Newspapers Limited, the publisher of the Daily Mail and the Mail on Sunday. Justice Matthew Nicklin rejected all allegations of unlawful information gathering, ruling that the claimants failed to prove their case. The decision marks a significant setback for the Duke of Sussex in his legal battle against the British tabloid press. The ruling was handed down during Prince Harry’s current visit to the UK.
The case involved allegations of phone hacking, voicemail interception, landline tapping, and deceptive practices by private investigators regarding articles published between 1993 and 2011. A total of 97 allegations were examined following an 11-week trial. The court found insufficient evidence of unlawful conduct, determining that the information could reasonably have originated from legitimate journalistic sources.
This was the third and final major lawsuit brought by Prince Harry against UK tabloid publishers. Legal analysts suggest that this ruling could bring an end to litigation stemming from the phone-hacking scandal era. The claimants including Sir Elton John and Elizabeth Hurley could face substantial legal costs, potentially amounting to £50 million. Prince Harry expressed disappointment with the verdict, while Associated Newspapers hailed the outcome as a complete vindication of its journalism.
The ruling highlights the high evidentiary bar required for historic privacy claims and underscores the ongoing tensions between public figures and the press in the UK.