Prince Harry Leads High Court Battle Against Daily Mail Publisher Over Unlawful Information Gathering

High Court Trial Commences in London

Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has arrived in the United Kingdom to begin a significant High Court battle against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL), the publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday. The trial, which commenced on Monday, January 19, 2026, at London's High Court, is expected to span nine weeks. This legal action marks the latest in the Duke's ongoing efforts to challenge the British tabloid press over alleged privacy infringements.

Allegations of Unlawful Information Gathering

Prince Harry is one of seven high-profile claimants bringing the case against ANL. The group alleges 'habitual and widespread' unlawful information-gathering activities by the publisher, dating back as far as 1993. Specific claims include:

• The hiring of private investigators to secretly place listening devices in homes and cars.
• Commissioning individuals to surreptitiously listen to and record private phone conversations.
• Taping phone calls and hacking into voicemail messages.
• Unlawfully obtaining private medical records and banking information through deceptive means, such as impersonation (known as 'blagging').
• Paying police officials for sensitive and private information.

Prominent Claimants and Publisher's Defence

Joining Prince Harry in this legal challenge are several other notable figures, including musician Sir Elton John and his husband David Furnish, actress Elizabeth Hurley, actress Sadie Frost, campaigner Baroness Doreen Lawrence, and former Liberal Democrat MP Sir Simon Hughes. Associated Newspapers Limited has vehemently denied all allegations, describing them as 'preposterous smears' and asserting that there is no basis to the claims. The publisher's legal team has also made serious allegations of dishonesty, fraud, and professional misconduct against the claimants' legal representatives.

Previous Legal Engagements and Expected Testimony

This case represents Prince Harry's third and reportedly final major legal action against the British tabloid press. He has previously secured a judgment against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) in 2023 for phone hacking, resulting in an award of £140,600 in damages. Last year, he also reached a settlement with News Group Newspapers (NGN), receiving an apology and substantial damages for intrusion into his private life. Prince Harry is expected to give evidence in court on Thursday, January 22, with other claimants like Sir Elton John and David Furnish scheduled to testify in February, potentially remotely. The trial is projected to incur legal costs of approximately £38.8 million for both sides.