Prince Harry to appeal after privacy case against Daily Mail publisher is dismissed

Prince Harry and the other claimants in a privacy case against Associated Newspapers, the publisher of the Daily Mail, will appeal. An appeal asks a higher court to review a decision, and this one follows a High Court ruling that went against the group.

The ruling came on 7 July 2026. Mr Justice Nicklin, a High Court judge, found in favour of Associated Newspapers Limited. He held that none of the seven claimants had proved their allegations of unlawful information gathering, which means obtaining private information by improper means. The judgment, cited as Lawrence & Others v Associated [2026] EWHC 1637 (KB), was handed down remotely at 2 p.m. on Tuesday 7 July, by email to the parties and their representatives. The UK Judiciary publishes the full text.

Seven people brought the action. Along with Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, they include Sir Elton John and Baroness Lawrence of Clarendon. The judiciary's case listing, titled Sussex and others v Associated Newspapers, also names Sadie Frost as a claimant.

The case has been running since 2023. In November of that year, Mr Justice Nicklin ruled that the publisher had not delivered a "knockout blow" to the early stage of the claims, so they could carry on. Prince Harry has also won a separate case against the same publisher. In January 2026, Reuters reported that he had successfully sued for libel over a 2020 article in the Mail on Sunday.

The claimants have responded to the July ruling. In a statement reported by Sky News, they said they "respectfully disagree" with the decisions. They described them as "unprecedented" and "legally and factually flawed." The statement was reported on 6 November 2026, and it confirms that the group will appeal.

Losing the case also carries a money question. In legal terms, the losing side usually pays the winner's costs, the fees and expenses of bringing or defending a case. On 29 July, Reuters reported that Associated Newspapers had sought an interim payment of 13 million towards its costs. An interim payment is a sum paid on account before the final bill is settled. Reuters reported that the claimants face paying millions in total.

The appeal will be decided by a higher court.