Prince Harry and six other claimants have been ordered to pay approximately $13 million after their legal case against the Daily Mail's publisher was dismissed in the High Court last month. The payment is expected within the coming week, according to BBC reports.
The Duke of Sussex is liable for the sum alongside Sir Elton John, David Furnish, Sir Simon Hughes, Sadie Frost, Liz Hurley, and Baroness Doreen Lawrence. Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL), the publisher, had sought an interim payment after the claimants lost their case in July, with a judge ruling on August 28 that the payment was due. ANL has requested up to $47 million in legal fees, with a judgment on that amount pending.
Upon the initial verdict, Harry and Lawrence issued a joint statement criticizing the decision as "shocking" and "unwarranted," calling it a "complete and obvious whitewash."
The court's order comes as Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, are reportedly preparing to move back to England with their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. An insider suggested that financial considerations, including mortgage and security expenses, played a significant role in their decision to relocate from Montecito, California. Despite these costs, the source clarified that the couple is not facing financial difficulties, with another source noting they possessed substantial wealth even before stepping back from royal duties.