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The royal family

Duke of Sussex & Others vs ANL: thread 4

1000 replies

bluegreygreen · 12/05/2026 17:19

This is the fourth thread discussing the case Prince Harry (and 6 others) brought against the Daily Mail (Associated Newspapers Limited; ANL) for alleged unlawful information gathering (UIG).

The claimants are: Prince Harry (PH); Doreen Lawrence (DL); Liz Hurley (EH/LH); Elton John (EJ); David Furnish (DF); Simon Hughes (SH); Sadie Frost (SF).
They are represented by David Sherborne (DS).
The defendant (ANL) is represented by Anthony White (AMW).

The threads to date have been thorough discussions of the evidence (so far as we were able to obtain it), with posters giving links and explaining their views. We have mostly kept things civil by avoiding partisan discussions on specific Royal Family members, and trying not to be derailed from the topic of court proceedings.
The case has concluded and we are now awaiting the judgement from Judge Nicklin.

We have also included (when things slowed with the title case) other cases or discussions with a specific theme of free speech/press freedom, particularly when related to those with money or power preventing others from speaking.

One current ongoing case is that involving @GwendolineFairfax8 - some details towards the end of thread 3.
The case is in court this week and is likely to be reported on at the end of the week.

Links to previous threads

Thread 1

Thread 2

Thread 3

There was limited direct reporting from court after the celebrities gave evidence; what there we followed on this link
Sky news link to court case

OP posts:
Thread gallery
25
GwendolineFairfax8 · 07/07/2026 19:27

Passingthrough123 · 07/07/2026 19:11

I can't believe DS allowed that statement to go out. He is a KC already though, because he's a barrister.

Sherborne is not a KC. However, a KC sadly does not automatically mean brilliance. Lots of KC’s make mistakes.

However, when the Bar Standards Board receive my letter, I hope Sherborne will never become a KC.

BreadInCaptivity · 07/07/2026 19:32

Isn’t Sherborne professional toast after this?

Mylovelygreendress · 07/07/2026 19:33

Hopefully one of our legal experts on here can answer this .
Harry accusing the judge of being biased etc is a pretty serious accusation. Could he be in contempt of court?
Also , is it possible he will appeal ( despite the folly of doing so )?

Mylovelygreendress · 07/07/2026 19:35

Oh and is it appropriate that Harry remains a Counsellor of State even though it is very unlikely he will be called upon .

Passingthrough123 · 07/07/2026 19:36

BasiliskStare · 07/07/2026 19:14

You can be a barrister without being a KC.

I stand corrected! You can be a barrister without being one and he isn't one yet.

Unlikely to be either, after that statement.

Passingthrough123 · 07/07/2026 19:37

Mylovelygreendress · 07/07/2026 19:35

Oh and is it appropriate that Harry remains a Counsellor of State even though it is very unlikely he will be called upon .

Nope. The King needs to stand him down.

MrsLeonFarrell · 07/07/2026 19:39

Serenster · 07/07/2026 18:36

This judgment represents a complete reversal of the position which previous Judges have taken in relation to the hacking claims successfully brought against both News Group Newspapers and Mirror Group Newspapers (who were represented by, at the time, the Judge who made this decision)

This part of the statement really makes me cross. Harry is insinuating the judge was biased because of who he represented while still a barrister. Sherborne must have signed that off - it’s such a breach of the bar’s professional values, I really can’t believe it.

No wonder Charles was wary of Harry attacking individual judges against a Buckingham Palace backdrop…

Totally expected 'victim of the establishment' statement from Harry though isn't it? Interesting that only Doreen Lawrence was stood enough to put her signature to it.

I mean it is a dreadful insinuation to make but smears and lies and a complete inability to understand why he is lost is what I thought would happen.

IAmATorturedPoet · 07/07/2026 19:41

Passingthrough123 · 07/07/2026 19:11

I can't believe DS allowed that statement to go out. He is a KC already though, because he's a barrister.

No, not a KC yet (and probably won’t be now)

HoldMyWine · 07/07/2026 19:42

I hope judge Nicklin sues Harold for defamation.

AtIusvue · 07/07/2026 19:47

This is a really interesting thread if anyone is interested in how much it’s going to cost the claimants. The OP answers a lot of questions.

Long story short……they’re cooked (as the young ones say!)

https://www.reddit.com/r/SaintMeghanMarkle/comments/1upy0j0/the_impending_legal_bill_from_hell/

MauveLibrary · 07/07/2026 19:47

I am cringing at that "statement". Its so petulant and arrogant. Harry is treading a very fine line here. Making disparaging remarks about the judge who will rule on the extent of his financial liability.....not sensible Harry. He has no evidence beyond a "feeling" and sadly for him facts do not care about his feelings.

He needs to be told very quickly to shut up and stop digging himself into a deeper hole. He could be on the hook for millions in costs if ANL go down the route of claiming indemnity costs and their statement this afternoon all but confirms that they will seek every penny in costs back.

If ANL can prove that the case was nothing but an egregious fishing expedition with no real prospect of success and one that fell entirely outside the norm and should never have proceeded then the court can award costs on an indemnity basis i.e no cap on costs. This could be an extremely expensive lesson for Harry which might well bankrupt him if his insurance refuses to pay out. They might refuse to pay out if he has been stupid enough to perjure himself (re his intimate relationship with a journalist)

BrownBookshelf · 07/07/2026 19:50

Do we know DS approved it? I appreciate that this would be the normal course of affairs.

AtIusvue · 07/07/2026 19:51

MauveLibrary · 07/07/2026 19:47

I am cringing at that "statement". Its so petulant and arrogant. Harry is treading a very fine line here. Making disparaging remarks about the judge who will rule on the extent of his financial liability.....not sensible Harry. He has no evidence beyond a "feeling" and sadly for him facts do not care about his feelings.

He needs to be told very quickly to shut up and stop digging himself into a deeper hole. He could be on the hook for millions in costs if ANL go down the route of claiming indemnity costs and their statement this afternoon all but confirms that they will seek every penny in costs back.

If ANL can prove that the case was nothing but an egregious fishing expedition with no real prospect of success and one that fell entirely outside the norm and should never have proceeded then the court can award costs on an indemnity basis i.e no cap on costs. This could be an extremely expensive lesson for Harry which might well bankrupt him if his insurance refuses to pay out. They might refuse to pay out if he has been stupid enough to perjure himself (re his intimate relationship with a journalist)

This is what it was saying in the Reddit thread.

Choux · 07/07/2026 19:59

Benjithedog · 07/07/2026 19:16

The Telegraph has done a breakdown of all the times Harry contradicted himself when in the stand. Sadly it’s behind a paywall so can’t see it.

Here you go. I haven’t even read it myself yet
https://archive.ph/LTTH7

Dontgetitt · 07/07/2026 20:02

Puzzledandpissedoff · 07/07/2026 19:01

Did you mean Sherborne should sue, or the judge?

Didn't someone say Sherborne would have signed off the statement (?) and if so why would he sue?

Sorry, I meant the judge

Benjithedog · 07/07/2026 20:03

Choux · 07/07/2026 19:59

Here you go. I haven’t even read it myself yet
https://archive.ph/LTTH7

Thank you so much

helderste · 07/07/2026 20:08

I wonder if the judge will feel more or less inclined to grant any request for indemnity costs ANL make after he reads that DL/PH statement.

Benjithedog · 07/07/2026 20:11

Choux · 07/07/2026 19:59

Here you go. I haven’t even read it myself yet
https://archive.ph/LTTH7

It makes VERY interesting reading

IcedPurple · 07/07/2026 20:11

helderste · 07/07/2026 20:08

I wonder if the judge will feel more or less inclined to grant any request for indemnity costs ANL make after he reads that DL/PH statement.

I hope he does.

How much of a moron do you have to be to publicly antagonise, even slander, the very same person who is going to rule on costs which could potentially bankrupt you?

Harry really is an epic fool.

MauveLibrary · 07/07/2026 20:11

helderste · 07/07/2026 20:08

I wonder if the judge will feel more or less inclined to grant any request for indemnity costs ANL make after he reads that DL/PH statement.

If I was the judge being disparaged then I would not be inclined towards showing Harry any mercy in regard to how much money he is going to have to pay

HurrahforHollywood · 07/07/2026 20:13

Harry just shows himself once again to be without judgement . He lives in his own world where he makes up the rules in his head. It's quite bizarre. I wonder if it's the result of being so poorly parented. I wonder if he was just left to make sense of things himself so he's carried on doing that.

Choux · 07/07/2026 20:14

Well this ruling will give Elton John a conundrum. He has £450m which he said he intends to leave largely to charity. He did say he will leave his now teenage sons some money but only a small portion. Speaking to The Mirror, he said: "It's terrible to give kids a silver spoon. It ruins their life.
"You have to have some semblance of normality, some respect for money, some respect for work."

So will he give a kid who’s always had a silver spoon in his mouth and little respect for work a few £££ millions from the mega millions earmarked for charity to bail him out? Or will he let H show he has respect for money and a judge’s judgement and let him pay his own costs?

https://www.hellomagazine.com/celebrities/496462/elton-john-jaw-dropping-fortune-revealed/

Everything you need to know about Elton John's jaw-dropping £450 million fortune

Join HELLO! as we take a closer look at Sir Elton John's mind boggling net worth, covering everything from his property portfolio to his sell-out tours...

https://www.hellomagazine.com/celebrities/496462/elton-john-jaw-dropping-fortune-revealed/

CathyorClaire · 07/07/2026 20:23

Or will he let H show he has respect for money and a judge’s judgement and let him pay his own costs?

Wasn't Elton supposedly left fuming when the Sussexes dissed him while flying on the private jet he'd provided them?

I think he'll let Harold swing like a candle in the wind.

Choux · 07/07/2026 20:24

Benjithedog · 07/07/2026 20:11

It makes VERY interesting reading

It politely says that “Some of the errors in his evidence could be explained by the passage of time. The £50m hearing was litigating events that happened decades ago. “

“But in other cases, his legal team held documents that directly contradicted what he was saying.” Which is not far off saying he knowingly lied!

WildWindySeascape · 07/07/2026 20:25

I’m shocked at how petulant that statement is. I don’t think the legal team will have signed it off. I think Harry prepared it with his PR team and ignored advice to be more restrained.

I know he isn’t a working member of the royal family but it is shameful that he is criticising the judge so personally. It is a complete misuse of his privilege and his soft power influence that he still tries to wield through his charity work and pseudo royal tours. It’s disgraceful.

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