London – On Friday, a UK High Court judge ordered Prince Harry and six other high‑profile individuals, including singer Elton John and his husband David Furnish, to make an initial payment of £9.5 million (about $13 million) toward the legal costs of Associated Newspapers Limited, the publisher of the Daily Mail.

Background of the case

The claimants had sued the Daily Mail for alleged unlawful information‑gathering practices used to produce stories about them between 1997 and 2015. The lawsuit sought damages and a declaration that the tabloid’s methods violated privacy rights.

Court’s decision on costs

The High Court found the claimants’ case to be “outside the ordinary and reasonable conduct of civil proceedings.” As a result, the court did not require the publisher to prove that its cost claim was reasonable; instead, the burden shifted to the claimants to argue against unreasonable charges.

While the £9.5 million figure is only an initial sum and not the final amount the claimants may ultimately owe, the court emphasized that it is not a “blank check.” The publisher cannot recover costs deemed unreasonable. Earlier, the Daily Mail had estimated its legal expenses at £34.5 million ($47 million), a figure the court described as “exceptionally high.”

Future assessment

The judge declined to impose an overall cap on the publisher’s recoverable costs, noting that a more detailed assessment by a specialist judge would better resolve any dispute. This approach allows the court to scrutinize the reasonableness of the costs in a later stage.

Implications

The ruling underscores the challenges public figures face when pursuing privacy claims against powerful media organisations. It also highlights the UK courts’ willingness to closely examine legal cost claims, especially when they appear disproportionate.

For the claimants, the immediate task is to arrange payment of the initial £9.5 million by the court‑ordered deadline of 4 p.m. on August 28. Failure to meet this deadline could result in further legal consequences.

Next steps

Both sides are expected to engage in a detailed cost‑assessment process, which may involve a specialist judge reviewing the publisher’s expenses and the claimants’ arguments about reasonableness. The final cost liability for the group of celebrities remains to be determined.

This story is developing, and updates will be provided as the court’s assessment proceeds.

Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.