Prince Harry, Sir Elton John, Liz Hurley, Doreen Lawrence, and Sir Simon Hughes have been ordered to pay an initial sum of £9.54 million (€11.1 million) toward the legal costs of Daily Mail publisher Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL), following their defeat in court. The amount was set by the British High Court after Judge Nicklin definitively dismissed their lawsuit. The total legal bill being pursued by ANL exceeds £34.5 million.
According to Sky News, ANL’s legal team had requested an interim payment of over £9.9 million, while Harry’s lawyers and those representing the other claimants argued the figure should not exceed £7.9 million.
Prince Harry, Sir Elton John, Liz Hurley and Baroness Doreen Lawrence are facing a legal bill of up to £34.5m after losing their phone-hacking case against the Daily Mail publisher.
A judge has ordered the claimants to make an initial £9.5m payment within seven days.
— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) August 21, 2026
Prince Harry vs Daily Mail: What the court ruling means
In his extensive ruling — spanning more than 436 pages — Judge Nicklin concluded that none of the claimants, including Liz Hurley, Doreen Lawrence, and former MP Sir Simon Hughes, had succeeded in substantiating their allegations of unlawful information gathering with sufficient evidence. The group had claimed that over a period of thirty years, the media group had conducted phone hacking, landline interception, and deception through private investigators and journalists, beginning in the early 1990s.
ANL, which owns the Daily Mail, denied all allegations from the outset. Following the verdict delivered in July, the publisher described the outcome as a “crushing victory” and “a brilliant vindication of Daily Mail journalism.” Former editor Paul Dacre argued the case should never have gone to court. For his part, Prince Harry expressed his disappointment, describing the ruling as a “complete reversal” of the approach judges had taken in his other cases against the publishers of The Sun and The Mirror. Harry commented that the decision represents “an obvious cover-up,” though he acknowledged the result was not entirely unexpected.
Prince Harry and six others ordered to pay Daily Mail publisher £9.5m https://t.co/2yT9jUSoJ1
— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) August 21, 2026
Payment timeline and what happens next
Former MP Sir Simon Hughes, one of the claimants, was quick to publicly express his disappointment and surprise at the court’s decision. He was particularly troubled by the fact that the court placed no cap on the costs being claimed by ANL. He is carefully considering whether to pursue an appeal, both on the substance of the case and on the costs order itself.
According to legal expert Colin Campbell, the deadline for payment of the initial £9.5 million falls on August 28. Fortunately, the amount is fully covered by insurance, meaning the claimants will not need to draw on their personal finances. Judge Nicklin made clear that if the two sides cannot reach an agreement on the final figure, ANL’s total costs will be subject to a detailed assessment by a specialist court officer. According to the ruling, the officer will scrutinize the work carried out, the time spent, the seniority of staff involved, any overlaps, and the reasonableness of the amounts claimed. The judge stressed that the award is not a “blank cheque” and that ANL will not be able to recover unjustified or excessive costs. If no appeal is lodged, Associated Newspapers must submit a detailed £34.5 million bill within three months, with final assessments expected up to a year later.
Notably, the court set October 2 as the deadline for filing appeal applications, whether relating to the substance of the July ruling or to the costs order. Unless the court deems an oral hearing necessary, applications will be considered on paper. The deadline for an appeal to the Court of Appeal has been extended to November 6, 2026.
