A High Court hearing began on Tuesday to determine how much Prince Harry and six other claimants must pay after losing their privacy lawsuit against Associated Newspapers Limited on 7 July. ANL is seeking an interim payment of nearly £10 million within two weeks, while the claimants have offered £8 million.
The publisher reported total legal costs of £34.5 million over four years of proceedings, though one source states costs exceeded £50 million. The claimants, who include Elton John and Doreen Lawrence, hold joint insurance coverage of up to £16.2 million, leaving a significant shortfall to be divided among the seven plaintiffs.
ANL's lawyers argued the lawsuit was designed to destroy the Daily Mail and was "unusual and unreasonable". The two-day hearing on consequential matters will determine the final financial burden.