A four-year legal battle led by Prince Harry and several celebrities, including Elton John, Elizabeth Hurley, and Sadie Frost, against Associated Newspapers Limited—the publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday—ended on July 7, 2026, with the UK High Court dismissing their privacy claims.

The plaintiffs accused the publisher of hiring private investigators who allegedly used unlawful methods in the late 1990s and early 2000s to gather information, including placing listening devices in cars and homes and paying police officials for inside information. However, the court found the claimants failed to provide sufficient evidence to support these allegations.

Associated Newspapers denied all accusations, calling them "preposterous," and stated that the approximately 50 articles in question were based on legitimate sources, including acquaintances willing to discuss their famous friends. The publisher welcomed the judgment as "an overwhelming victory for the Daily Mail and its journalists, and for a free press generally."

In a witness statement obtained by People magazine, Prince Harry said he pursued legal action due to what he described as "vicious" and "sometimes racist" coverage of Meghan Markle following the start of their relationship in 2016. Harry also expressed frustration, stating, "I think it's fundamentally wrong [for Associated Newspapers Limited] to put us through this again when all we [claimants] required is an apology and some accountability."

Additionally, on July 6, Harry's spokesperson told People magazine that an offer for the Duke of Sussex to stay at Buckingham Palace during his London visit was withdrawn after he had formally accepted it.

Previously, Harry and Meghan received symbolic damages of £1 (approximately $1.36) from the Mail on Sunday after winning Meghan’s legal case against the paper for publishing a personal letter she wrote to her father in 2018.

This ruling marks a significant setback for Prince Harry during his visit to the UK.

Sources