Duke of Sussex’s legal cases in 2024
Harry is involved in several legal cases, including against newspaper publishers.
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Your support makes all the difference.The year 2024 marked multiple developments in the legal cases brought by the Duke of Sussex in the UK.
Here the PA news agency looks at what has happened with Harry in the courts over the last 12 months.
– Withdrawal of libel claim against Mail on Sunday publisher
In January, the duke withdrew his libel claim against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) over a February 2022 article about his legal challenge against the Home Office following a decision to change his publicly funded security arrangements when visiting the UK.
His lawyers alleged the article was “an attack on his honesty and integrity”, and would undermine his charity work and efforts to tackle misinformation online.
ANL, the publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday, contested the claim, arguing the article expressed an “honest opinion” and did not cause “serious harm” to his reputation.
Discontinuing the libel claim, a spokesperson for Harry said his focus was on “the safety of his family” and his case against the Home Office.
– Mirror Group Newspapers settlement
In February, the High Court in London was told that the duke had settled the remaining aspects of his phone hacking claim against the publisher of the Daily Mirror, Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN).
This came after a 2023 trial examined 33 articles which Harry alleged were the product of unlawful information gathering.
Finding 15 of the articles contained unlawfully obtained information, Mr Justice Fancourt concluded that Harry’s phone was hacked “to a modest extent” by MGN, awarding him £140,600 in damages.
The rest of his claim, which was settled, included a further 115 articles, the court heard.
– Lost High Court action over security arrangements
The duke lost his High Court challenge against the Home Office over the security arrangements for himself and his family when they are in the UK in February.
Harry took legal action over the February 2020 decision of the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec) after being told he would no longer be given the “same degree” of publicly funded protection when in the country.
In his ruling, retired High Court judge Sir Peter Lane rejected the duke’s case and concluded Ravec’s approach was not irrational nor procedurally unfair.
However, in June, Harry was given the green light to bring his challenge to the Court of Appeal.
The appeal is due to be heard in spring 2025.
– Harry and Lord Tom Watson to be sole claimants in News Group Newspapers trial
Harry is among a number of people to bring cases against the publisher of The Sun, however many have settled their claims – including actress Sienna Miller, ex-footballer Paul Gascoigne, comic Catherine Tate and Spice Girl Melanie Chisholm.
A trial of claims of unlawful information gathering against NGN is due to begin in January.
Around 40 people were eligible to have their cases brought to trial but following settlements – including that of actor Hugh Grant in April – the duke and former labour deputy leader Lord Tom Watson are the only individuals due to have their cases heard at the upcoming trial.
Multiple preparatory hearings in the case have taken place in 2024, with none attended by the duke.
At a hearing in December, lawyers for NGN said they wanted to have up to four days to cross-examine Harry when he gives evidence next year.