Prince Harry ordered to pay newspaper nearly £50,000 after losing libel case fight
PRINCE Harry has been ordered to pay the Mail on Sunday £48,000 after a judge ruled in favour of the paper in the latest round of a libel case.
The Duke of Sussex, 38, has sued the newspaper’s publishers, Associated Newspapers, over an article written about his fight with the Home Office for full Royal security protection.
Associated Newspapers argued the article expressed an “honest opinion”.
It added that it did not cause “serious harm” to Harry’s reputation and so wasn’t libel.
The duke tried to have the “honest opinion” defence thrown out but it will now be included, according to a High Court judgement on Friday.
Judge Mr Justice Nicklin ruled the publisher had a “real prospect of arguing its case.
And the duke will now pay the newspaper’s costs of £48,447 by December 29.
The judge said, in a written case order released to journalists on Monday, that those costs should be assessed if they were not agreed.
But he said the duke should pay Associated £48,447 “on account” before the end of the year.
Prince Harry claimed the article, published in 2022, was libellous, and attacked his “honesty and integrity”.
The article claimed he “tried to keep his legal fight over security secret” but then “tried to put a positive spin on the dispute”.
His lawyers claimed it was inaccurate, and suggested he’d “lied” or “cynically” attempted to mislead the public.
In the case a settlement isn’t reached, the trial will be held in May and July.