U.K. judge dismisses Prince Harry's privacy invasion lawsuit against publisher of Daily Mail

By — Brian Melley, Associated Press Brian Melley, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/u-k-judge-dismisses-prince-harrys-privacy-invasion-lawsuit-against-publisher-of-daily-mail Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter U.K. judge dismisses Prince Harry's privacy invasion lawsuit against publisher of Daily Mail World Jul 7, 2026 6:14 PM EDT LONDON (AP) — Prince Harry's final lawsuit aimed at taming the British tabloids ended in defeat Tuesday as a judge said he failed to prove his privacy invasion claims against the publisher of the Daily Mail. Justice Matthew Nicklin rejected the broad inferences the Duke of Sussex relied on to try to show that Associated Newspapers Ltd. engaged in unlawful activities. He said there was a shortage of evidence to support the claims and found a possibility that the reporting came from legitimate sources. READ MORE: Prince Harry's UK trip sparks media buzz over whether Meghan and kids will join him "In substance, the claimants' case invites the Court to conclude that, because the information was private and because Associated cannot positively explain how it was sourced, the article must have been unlawfully sourced," Nicklin wrote. "That is not a permissible approach." The ruling scuttles a bid by Harry and six others, including singer Elton John and actor-model Elizabeth Hurley, seeking substantial damages but could leave them with massive legal bills. ANL put the legal costs for both sides above 50 million pounds ($67 million) for years of case preparation and an 11-week trial. The publisher called it an "overwhelming victory" and a "magnificent vindication" of the Mail's journalism. The newspapers had denied the allegations as "preposterous," insisting the roughly 50 articles at issue were based on lawful sources including friends, royal aides and publicists who offered information to reporters. Harry said the court had denied him the justice and accountability he sought. "It is a complete and obvious whitewash, but sadly not altogether unexpected," Harry said in a joint statement with another claimant, anti‑racism activist Doreen Lawrence. "However, the lengths to which the court has gone to exonerate the Mail is as shocking as it is totally unwarranted." Harry's campaign against the press yields mixed results The 436-page decision leaves a mixed legacy for Harry's trio of lawsuits accusing tabloid publishers of using unlawful tactics, such as phone hacking or hiring private detectives to dig up dirt on his life. Harry won a judgment in 2023 that condemned the publishers of the Daily Mirror for "widespread and habitual" phone hacking. Last year, Rupert Murdoch's flagship U.K. tabloid, The Sun, made an unprecedented apology for intruding on his life for years and agreed to pay substantial damages to settle his privacy invasion lawsuit. Mark Stephens, a media lawyer not involved in the case, said Harry's first significant