LONDON, 21 August, 2026 (Nosheen) — Prince Harry and six other high-profile claimants, including singer Elton John, are set to learn Friday how much they will initially have to pay the publisher of Britain’s Daily Mail newspaper following their failed privacy case. The claimants lost a High Court case in London last month in which they accused Associated Newspapers Ltd., publisher of the Daily Mail, of unlawful practices including phone hacking and the use of private investigators to obtain information about their private lives. The seven claimants are expected to learn the extent of their liability for Associated Newspapers’ legal costs, which have reportedly reached around £34 million ($46 million). The claimants are believed to have insurance covering approximately half of that amount.Justice Matthew Nicklin is due to issue a written decision at 2 p.m. Friday outlining the financial implications of the failed case. An initial payment could reportedly reach £10 million.Associated Newspapers has requested an interim payment of more than £9.9 million, while lawyers representing the claimants have argued that the amount should be slightly above £7.9 million.The 11-week trial concluded on July 7, when Justice Nicklin ruled that there was insufficient evidence to support the allegations and said there was a possibility that some of the newspaper’s reporting had originated from legitimate sources.

Other prominent claimants in the case included anti-racism campaigner Doreen Lawrence, whose son Stephen Lawrence was murdered in 1993; David Furnish, film producer and husband of Elton John; actors Sadie Frost and Liz Hurley; and politician Simon Hughes.The ruling comes shortly after reports that Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, plan to move back to the United Kingdom later this month. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back as working royals more than six years ago and subsequently moved to California.Harry’s defeat in the case marks a setback in his broader legal campaign against British tabloid publishers. He previously won a case against the publisher of the Daily Mirror in 2023, when a judge found evidence of “widespread and habitual” phone hacking. Last year, Rupert Murdoch’s UK newspaper, The Sun, apologized for intruding into Harry’s private life over several years and agreed to pay substantial damages to settle his privacy lawsuit.Harry has described his legal battles with the British press as a major source of tension with members of the royal family, including his father, King Charles III, and his brother, Prince William. The Duke of Sussex has repeatedly criticized the British media, blaming press intrusion for damaging his relationships and contributing to the circumstances surrounding the death of his mother, Princess Diana, who died in a 1997 car crash in Paris while being pursued by paparazzi.