Prince Harry and others ordered to pay $17.8m legal costs to Daily Mail publisher

Prince Harry, Elton John and others ordered to pay millions in legal costs over failed Daily Mail lawsuit Prince Harry and a group of other high-profile claimants must make an interim payment of 9.54 million British pounds ($17.88 million) towards the legal costs of Associated Newspapers, the publisher of The Daily Mail, after losing their privacy lawsuits, London's High Court has ruled. Last month, Justice Matthew Nicklin comprehensively rejected the case brought by Prince Harry, singer Elton John and five other figures, dismissing allegations that the Mail had engaged in widespread unlawful activities, such as phone hacking. Friday's judgment on costs delivered another damaging blow to the claimants, ruling that the outstanding amount should be paid on an "indemnity basis". This means that the prince and the others must pay an amount towards Associated's legal costs without the publisher needing to show these were reasonable and proportionate. Associated had said after the judge's initial ruling that it was an overwhelming victory for its newspaper and journalists, and "for a free press generally". The prince, 41, described the ruling as a "complete and obvious whitewash". Reuters Loading