The Duke of Sussex has lost his High Court case against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL), the publisher of the Daily Mail, after claiming the press made his wife Meghan's life an 'absolute misery'. In a ruling on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, Mr Justice Nicklin dismissed all 97 allegations brought by Prince Harry and other claimants, including Baroness Lawrence and Sir Elton John.
Judge accepts Harry's evidence but rules against him
Mr Justice Nicklin stated in his 436-page written judgment that he accepted the limited evidence put forward by Prince Harry at the January trial. However, he concluded that neither Harry nor the other claimants had succeeded in proving the allegations of unlawful information gathering. The judge noted that Harry wished the court to 'understand the personal impact of the matters in issue' but clarified that the responsibility for advancing the case rests with the advocate.
During the January hearing, Harry was visibly close to tears, describing his case against ANL as a 'recurring traumatic experience' and a 'repeat of the past'. He rejected suggestions that he had 'leaky' social circles or that he used the pseudonym 'Mr Mischief' to contact a female Mail on Sunday journalist.
Details of Harry's claims
Among the duke's claims were that a private investigator named Mike Behr was hired to unlawfully acquire flight information and the seat number of Harry's then-partner Chelsy Davy for her trip to South Africa. Harry alleged that Behr proposed to journalists that they could 'plant someone next to her'. Other articles concerned 'the intimate family matter' of Harry being selected as godfather to the child of his former nanny Tiggy Legge-Bourke.
Another piece focused on Harry's 'intimate relationship' with television presenter Natalie Pinkham, where Harry claimed his 'privacy was invaded' through unlawful information gathering. He also described it as 'beyond cruel' for ANL to publish a piece about 'confidential discussions' with his brother, the now-Prince of Wales, following the publication of a photograph of their dying mother in the Italian press.
ANL's response and Harry's legal battles
ANL described the dismissal of all 97 allegations as 'magnificent vindication of the Daily Mail's journalism'. Harry had argued that 14 articles published by ANL between 2001 and 2013 were founded on unlawful information gathering, a claim the publisher firmly denied.
Harry said he had always experienced an 'uneasy relationship' with the press, though the royal family's mantra was 'never complain, never explain', leaving 'no alternative'. Growing up, he was acutely conscious of the devastating effects of relentless media intrusion on his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, who died in a collision in Paris while being pursued by paparazzi.
Previous legal victories
In 2025, Harry reached a settlement with News Group Newspapers (NGN), securing substantial damages alongside a 'full and unequivocal apology' for both 'serious intrusion' into his private life and 'unlawful activities' carried out by The Sun. He declared it a 'monumental victory', with NGN also apologizing for the 'extensive coverage and serious intrusion' into his personal life and that of Diana during his childhood.
Lord Watson, Harry's co-claimant in the NGN case, said: 'I once said that the big beasts of the tabloid jungle have no predators. I was wrong, they have Prince Harry.'
