Prince Harry ordered to pay $62,000 to Mail on Sunday publisher
The Duke of Sussex lost his legal battle against the Mail on Sunday publisher and must now pay compensation in the amount of $62,000. The High Court has ordered Prince Harry to pay legal costs incurred by The Mail on Sunday until the end of the year.
The 39-year-old Duke sued the publication over an article published in February 2022, which alleged that his PR team was trying to keep details of a lawsuit against the Home Office secret from the public. It concerned the provision of state protection when Prince Harry and his family visited Great Britain. Queen Elizabeth II's grandson sued for libel, saying the article was an "attack on his honesty and integrity." and could undermine his charitable work and his efforts to combat online misinformation. At the same time, he asked the judge to rule in his favor without a public hearing.
After Harry and his wife Meghan Markle stepped down as senior royals in 2020, they were stripped of police protection in the UK.
The publisher disputed the lawsuit, arguing that the article expressed an "honest opinion" and did not cause "serious harm." the prince's reputation. Last week, a separate High Court hearing was held into Harry's judicial review claim that the decision to downgrade his security level was "unlawful and unfair". A decision on this case is expected at a later date.
