Prince Harry and five other prominent individuals have filed applications with the Court of Appeal seeking to challenge the High Court's decision that dismissed their hacking claims against Associated Newspapers, the publisher of the Daily Mail.
In July, Mr. Justice Nicklin ruled against the claimants, rejecting all 97 allegations that the Mail and its journalists had engaged in unlawful information gathering. The judge also ordered the claimants to cover the publisher's legal costs on an indemnity basis, a decision that could amount to as much as £34 million, citing their case as "unreasonable to a high degree."
Callum Galbraith, the solicitor representing the claimants, confirmed that applications for permission to appeal both the dismissal of their claims and the indemnity costs order have been submitted. He stated that the group "respectfully disagree" with the rulings, deeming them "legally and factually flawed."
Six of the original seven claimants have initiated this appeal process. These include the Duke of Sussex, Baroness Doreen Lawrence, Sir Elton John, his husband David Furnish, model Elizabeth Hurley, and actress Sadie Frost. The seventh claimant, former justice minister Sir Simon Hughes, is not part of this appeal effort.
The grounds for the appeal have not yet been disclosed, and Associated Newspapers has not yet been served with the formal papers. The Court of Appeal must grant permission before a full appeal can be heard.
During the initial trial, Mr. Justice Nicklin accepted the evidence presented by Mail journalists, finding their accounts of story sourcing to be credible. The claimants' reaction to the verdict included branding the findings a "complete and obvious whitewash."