The UK High Court has officially dismissed a privacy lawsuit filed by Prince Harry and six other high-profile individuals, including singer Elton John, against Associated Newspapers, the publisher of the Daily Mail. The claimants had alleged that they were victims of unlawful information-gathering techniques employed by the publisher, such as phone hacking and the deployment of private investigators. Associated Newspapers has consistently denied any wrongdoing throughout the proceedings.
In a written judgment delivered on Tuesday, Mr. Justice Nicklin ruled that the claimants failed to substantiate their pleaded allegations. The judge emphasized that the court could not infer that information was obtained unlawfully simply because it was private or because the publisher could not provide a specific explanation for how it was sourced. According to the judgment, “suspicion, even where understandable, was not enough,” and the burden remained on the claimants to prove that the information was acquired through illegal means.
Justice Nicklin further noted that Associated journalists had successfully provided lawful explanations for the sourcing of the articles and incidents in question. Additionally, the court dismissed accusations that three senior executives at the publishing company had provided false evidence during the 2011 to 2012 Leveson Inquiry, which examined the ethics and practices of the British press.
A spokesperson for Associated Newspapers described the ruling as an “overwhelming victory” and a “magnificent vindication” of the publication’s journalism. The spokesperson characterized the allegations—which included claims of phone tapping, bank account access, and the placement of bugs in homes and vehicles—as “lurid” and “preposterous,” asserting that no credible evidence was ever presented. The publisher noted that the legal battle incurred costs exceeding £50 million, which it intends to seek recovery for.
Following the decision, Prince Harry and co-claimant Doreen Lawrence released a joint statement labeling the ruling as “totally unwarranted” and a “complete and obvious whitewash.” Harry added that while the outcome was disappointing, it was not entirely unexpected.
