Prince Harry and six others ordered to pay $13 million in legal costs

Prince Harry and six other high-profile figures, including Elton John, have been ordered to pay an initial 9.5 million pounds ($13 million) to the publisher of the British newspaper Daily Mail following their failed privacy invasion lawsuit. Justice Matthew Nicklin ruled on Friday that the payment must be made by August 28. The case, which was part of a wider phone-hacking scandal in Britain, ended in defeat for the claimants at London’s High Court. Alongside Prince Harry and Elton John, the group included Doreen Lawrence, David Furnish, Sadie Frost, Liz Hurley, and Simon Hughes. Justice Nicklin criticized the claimants' conduct, describing the allegations as "speculative" and noting their failure to withdraw serious claims that could no longer be substantiated. The publisher, Associated Newspapers, stated that it incurred over 34 million pounds in legal costs and that the claimants could face an additional 25 million pounds if the publisher pursues the remainder. This ruling follows previous legal successes for Prince Harry against other publishers, though in this specific instance, the judge found no evidence to support the 97 claims brought forward.