Kathmandu— Prince Harry, along with six prominent figures including Elton John and actor Liz Hurley, have been ordered to make an initial payment of 9.5 million pounds (approximately $13 million) to Associated Newspapers Ltd., the publisher of Britain’s Daily Mail newspaper, after losing a High Court case alleging unlawful information gathering practices; they could face an additional 25 million pounds in legal costs if the publisher pursues further claims.

Case Dismissed and Costs Awarded

Justice Matthew Nicklin ruled Friday that the claimants must pay the initial sum by August 28, describing the payment as being at the upper end of expectations and a vindication for the Daily Mail’s journalists. The group had alleged malpractice such as phone hacking, but the court found insufficient evidence to support their claims during the eleven-week trial earlier this year. Nicklin highlighted the speculative nature of the allegations and the claimants’ failure to withdraw unsupported claims as key factors in his decision.

Potential for Further Financial Liability

Associated Newspapers incurred over 34 million pounds in costs throughout the case, and could seek an additional 25 million pounds from the claimants with legal approval. While the claimants secured insurance covering approximately half of this potential total, they may attempt to argue before costs judges that their insurance coverage should extend to the full amount based on initial budget estimates provided by Associated Newspapers’ lawyers. David Bailey-Vella, chairman of the Association of Costs Lawyers, stated the ruling “could not have gone much worse” for the claimants.

Failed Claims and Previous Victories

The judge found that the claimants failed to win any of their 97 claims, suggesting the reporting in question may have come from legitimate sources. Associated Newspapers released a statement calling the judgment a “devastating critique” of what they described as an attempt to damage the newspaper’s reputation and its staff. This defeat follows Harry’s earlier success in 2023 against the publishers of the Daily Mirror for phone hacking, and a settlement with Rupert Murdoch’s The Sun last year.

Harry’s Ongoing Media Battle

Prince Harry has been vocal about his strained relationship with the British tabloids, attributing it to years of intrusive media coverage that he believes contributed to his mother Princess Diana’s death in 1997 and subsequent attacks on his wife, Meghan Markle. He views his legal battles as a means of reforming the news media and protecting his family from further harm; this litigation has also been cited by Harry as a contributing factor to his fractured relationship with King Charles III and Prince William.

The claimants have until October 2nd to decide whether to appeal the court’s decision, after which costs judges will likely determine the final amount payable.

(With inputs from AP)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.