Duke of Sussex reportedly tried to resolve $67 million legal battle before trial
Prince Harry reportedly attempted to settle his privacy lawsuit against the publisher of the Daily Mail before the case went to trial.
According to The Telegraph, the Duke of Sussex and six other claimants made several efforts to resolve the dispute with Associated Newspapers Limited, the publisher of the Daily Mail and The Mail on Sunday.
However, the company reportedly refused to enter negotiations and chose to defend the allegations in court.
The lawsuit, filed in 2022, accused the publisher of unlawfully gathering private information over several years. Prince Harry brought the case alongside several high-profile figures, including Sir Elton John, Elizabeth Hurley and Sadie Frost.
On July 7, the High Court dismissed the allegations brought by all seven claimants. The judge ruled that they had failed to prove that the newspaper articles at the centre of the case were based on information obtained through unlawful means.
The report claimed that Prince Harry’s legal team had used intermediaries in an effort to begin private, “backchannel” discussions with the publisher before the trial.
However, Associated Newspapers reportedly had no intention of reaching a settlement and was determined to clear its name in court.
Following the ruling, Prince Harry strongly criticised the outcome, describing it as “a complete and obvious whitewash.”
