Prince Harry's Case Against Daily Mail Publisher Approved to Move Forward by Court
Prince Harry's court case against the Daily Mail publisher over alleged unlawful information gathering is given the green light by Britain's High Court, allowing it to proceed Stay updated with our free royal newsletter
The High Court in Britain has ruled that the Duke of Sussex's lawsuit against the publisher of the Daily Mail newspaper, accusing them of illegal information gathering, can proceed. Associated Newspapers Limited, the publisher of the Mail on Sunday and the MailOnline, had sought to dismiss the case without a trial, arguing that it was brought too late. However, the court rejected this argument, and Associated Newspapers Limited has firmly denied the allegations.
The UK Courts and Tribunals Judiciary stated that a group of prominent claimants, including Prince Harry, singer Elton John, and Baroness Doreen Lawrence, have asserted that the Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) intentionally hid crucial information, which only came to light recently. Justice Nicklin, in the High Court ruling, concluded that ANL did not succeed in refuting any of the claims made by the claimants.
The plaintiffs in the legal action include actress and model Elizabeth Hurley, actress Sadie Frost, former politician Simon Hughes, and John's partner David Furnish. They have a "real prospect" of proving that the Association of National Newspapers Limited (ANL) hid important facts that could have allowed them to file their claims earlier.
A statement released on Friday by the law firm Hamlins on behalf of the group expressed the seven claimants' "delight" with the decision that enables the progression of their claims regarding serious criminal activity. Sign up for our free royal newsletter.
Sign up for CNN's Royal News, a weekly update that provides exclusive insights into the activities of the royal family in public and unveils the happenings behind the palace walls. The statement claims that ANL has engaged in reprehensible and unlawful actions, such as employing private investigators to surreptitiously install listening devices in the claimants' vehicles and residences, intercepting phone conversations, and unlawfully obtaining access to confidential medical records.
"We are determined to expose the truth during the trial and ensure that those responsible at Associated Newspapers are held completely responsible," the statement went on.
In a statement released on Friday, ANL reaffirmed its strong denial of the allegations made against the company. The statement characterized the accusations as "sensationalized claims" and "utterly absurd."
The suit is just one of several that the Duke of Sussex has brought against major UK newspaper publishers, including Rupert Murdochs News Group Newspapers and Mirror Group Newspapers.
