Prince Harry, Elton John ordered to pay Daily Mail publisher millions

Prince Harry, Sir Elton John, Liz Hurley and four other claimants have been ordered by a British court to pay Associated Newspapers Limited, publisher of the Daily Mail, millions of pounds in legal costs following their failed lawsuit.

Justice Nicklin ruled Friday that the claimants must pay $13 million by August 28. The payment represents a provisional amount; the full sum to be paid will be determined later. The claimants have until October 2 to file an appeal.

The seven claimants had accused the Daily Mail of improper reporting tactics and privacy violations. They alleged the tabloid had intercepted voicemails or listened to telephone conversations to obtain information used in approximately 50 articles published between 1993 and 2018. After an 11-week trial, the High Court of London dismissed their claims in early July, finding they had failed to prove the allegations.

In his Friday ruling, Justice Nicklin determined that the claims and the manner in which they were brought, pleaded, pursued, maintained and publicly advanced "involved a combination of circumstances" that were "unreasonable to a high degree." The judge's decision means that Associated Newspapers Limited does not need to demonstrate that the legal costs it incurred were reasonable and proportionate.

According to court filings, the claimants held insurance coverage that would cover up to $22.1 million of the publisher's legal costs. Associated Newspapers Limited stated it incurred approximately $47 million in total legal costs during the proceedings.

The case concluded after more than two months of courtroom proceedings, during which the claimants presented evidence in support of their privacy and improper reporting allegations. The court's dismissal of their claims in July marked the end of the substantive litigation phase.