Factbox-Prince Harry and His Lawsuits Against the Press

LONDON (Reuters) – Prince Harry’s lawsuit against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL), publisher of the Daily Mail and the Mail on Sunday, can go to trial, London’s High Court ruled on Friday.

The case is just one of several Harry and his wife Meghan have filed against media organisations since 2019 over alleged breaches of privacy, unlawful practices and false stories about Harry and his family.

Here are details of some of their recent lawsuits:

ASSOCIATED NEWSPAPERS OVER NUMEROUS ALLEGED UNLAWFUL ACTS

Seven high-profile public figures, including Harry and singer Elton John, are suing ANL over allegations of phone-tapping and other unlawful activities.

ANL, which denies any wrongdoing, tried to have the cases thrown out on the basis that they were brought too late at a March hearing attended by Harry, John and others.

The High Court rejected ANL’s application to end the case before a trial on Friday, meaning Harry and others’ lawsuit can continue.

ASSOCIATED NEWSPAPERS’ LIBEL CLAIMS

Harry successfully sued ANL for libel in 2020 over an article which accused him of having snubbed the Royal Marines, with ANL apologising and paying damages.

The prince launched another lawsuit against ANL in February 2022, over a Mail on Sunday article that accused him of trying to mislead the public about a separate legal battle with the government over his police protection.

In March, Harry sought a ruling in his favour without the need for the case to go to trial, with a decision expected soon. ANL says it has a strong defence.

ASSOCIATED NEWSPAPERS FOR PRINTING MEGHAN’S LETTER

Meghan won a privacy claim against ANL in February 2021 after its Mail on Sunday tabloid printed extracts of a letter she had written to her estranged father in 2018.

The publisher’s appeal against that ruling was rejected later in 2021.

MIRROR GROUP NEWSPAPERS OVER ALLEGED PHONE-HACKING

Harry began a lawsuit in September 2019 against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN), which publishes the Daily Mirror and other newspapers, accusing MGN of hacking his voicemails and other unlawful information-gathering.

The trial began in May, with Harry seeking damages of around 440,000 pounds ($540,000). He became the first senior royal to give evidence in court for 130 years in June.

MGN argued there is no evidence Harry’s phone was hacked and said he should receive just 500 pounds for one occasion it admits a private investigator was asked to unlawfully gather information.

The court’s ruling is expected in the next few months.

NEWS GROUP NEWSPAPERS OVER ALLEGED PHONE-HACKING

Harry also sued News Group Newspapers (NGN), which publishes the Sun tabloid and used to produce the now defunct News of the World, at the same time as he took action against MGN.

NGN tried to have the case thrown out as it should have been brought sooner, but Harry said he did not due to a “secret agreement” between Britain’s royal family and NGN.

The High Court ruled in July that Harry could not sue NGN for alleged phone-hacking and rejected Harry’s argument that there was a secret deal between the publisher and senior royals.

But the remainder of Harry’s case was allowed to continue, with a trial likely to begin in January 2025.

(Reporting by Sam Tobin; Editing by Alex Richardson)

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