The Duke of Sussex is among a group of high-profile individuals pursuing legal action against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL), the publisher of the Daily Mail, with a hearing scheduled to commence on Tuesday in the High Court. This legal challenge includes notable figures such as Baroness Doreen Lawrence, Sir Elton John, his husband David Furnish, actresses Sadie Frost and Liz Hurley, and politician Sir Simon Hughes.

The plaintiffs allege that ANL has engaged in unlawful activities, including hiring private investigators to plant listening devices in vehicles, intercepting private records, coordinating burglaries, and accessing private phone conversations. The allegations assert a significant breach of privacy and ethical standards, which has generated considerable public interest given the prominence of the individuals involved.

ANL has categorically denied these charges, labelling them as “lurid” and “simply preposterous,” and is vigorously defending against the claims. The upcoming two-day hearing, presided over by Mr Justice Nicklin, is expected to address various preliminary issues related to the case, without yet reaching definitive findings regarding the allegations.

The legal proceedings follow a previous ruling by Mr Justice Nicklin in November 2023, in which ANL’s attempt to secure a pre-trial dismissal of the claims was rejected. The publisher’s legal team argued that the allegations were made “far too late.” Additionally, in March 2022, government ministers permitted the disclosure of confidential documents from the Leveson Inquiry relating to payments made by the Daily Mail to private investigators. This significant decision was made to facilitate the court proceedings, emphasising the importance of justice and expediency in the legal process.

The hearings have continued to unfold, revealing intriguing details about how the claims came to light. During a court session in November, it was reported that Baroness Lawrence was first made aware of a potential legal claim through a text message from the Duke of Sussex in January 2022. Following this notification, she engaged with the legal team that Harry had brought together.

Looking ahead, the trial for these claims is tentatively scheduled for 2026 and could extend for up to nine weeks. Judges Nicklin and Cook have previously remarked on the proposed budgets from both parties, which total over £38.8 million, calling them “manifestly excessive and therefore disproportionate.”

In previous legal actions, the Duke of Sussex was awarded £140,600 in damages after a lawsuit against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) and secured “substantial damages” in settling a claim with News Group Newspapers (NGN) in January this year. Such precedents may inform public expectations regarding the potential outcomes of the current proceedings.

Source: Noah Wire Services