The Duke of Sussex will learn on Tuesday whether he has won his High Court battle against the publisher of the Daily Mail – a verdict that lands after a chaotic start to his UK visit, during which an invitation to stay at Buckingham Palace was withdrawn.
Prince Harry arrived in London on Monday and attended the premiere of ‘Shoot The People’ alongside Andy Mundy-Castle, Afua Hirsch and Misan Harriman. He is beginning a week of charity engagements, starting with an Invictus Games event, and will later travel to Birmingham – where the games are to be held next year. His wife Meghan and children Archie and Lilibet are not with him because of security concerns.
“Prince Harry learns outcome of High Court case against Daily Mail publisher amid row over Buckingham Palace stay.”
But the visit has been overshadowed by a row over accommodation. Harry’s team announced he had accepted an offer to stay at Buckingham Palace after making alternative security arrangements over the weekend. The Palace rejected that, saying the prince had been told on Saturday he could not stay because he had not responded in time. A spokesperson for the duke said the invitation was revoked “at the last moment”, with the Palace believing the legal case against Associated Newspapers – publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday – could compromise the King’s constitutional position.
Now, at the Royal Courts of Justice, Mr Justice Nicklin will deliver his ruling after a 45-day trial that heard claims from Harry and six other high-profile figures, including Sir Elton John, Sir Simon Hughes, Liz Hurley, Sadie Frost and Baroness Doreen Lawrence. They accuse the newspaper group of phone hacking, landline tapping and using private investigators to “blag” information such as medical records – allegations that Associated Newspapers has strenuously denied. Antony White KC, for the publisher, argued that “ordinary, legitimate journalism” was the more likely explanation for how stories were sourced.
Giving evidence, Harry became emotional as he said the publisher had made Meghan Markle’s life “a misery”. The court heard that the claimants had suffered “violation”, “profound betrayal” and “shock and horror”. The outcome is the latest – and expected to be the last – in a series of courtroom battles Harry has fought against what he sees as dishonest press practices. In 2023, he won 15 claims against Mirror Group Newspapers; last year, the publisher of the Sun paid “substantial damages” to settle a similar case.
If the judge supports some claims and rejects others, all sides are likely to claim victory. The duke will spend five days supporting UK charities and raising support for the Invictus Games. Speculation continues about whether he will meet his father, King Charles III, during the trip.
