Devendra Kumar
Prince Harry’s legal case against the publisher of The Sun, News Group Newspapers, is confronted with the possibility of high legal costs, which may force him to settle the dispute. The case, joined by several other celebrities, including Sienna Miller, Paul Gascoigne, Catherine Tate, and Melanie Chisholm, hangs in the balance as the threat of costly litigation becomes increasingly apparent. News Group Newspapers has denied any wrongdoing, and the publisher is seeking to have the cases against it dismissed, citing that they were brought too late.
During a recent hearing, actor Hugh Grant settled his case against News Group Newspapers due to the prospect of a £10 million legal bill if the case went to trial. Although Grant refused to accept a substantial settlement offer, he acknowledged that he would have had to pay the legal costs of both parties if he had lost the case. Grant opted not to pursue the matter further, reportedly due to the fact that he could not afford to pay the legal costs, even if he had won damages.
Sienna Miller, one of the other celebrities who has brought a case against News Group Newspapers, settled her case in December 2021 for “substantial damages” without the publisher admitting any liability. Miller had alleged that her voicemails had been intercepted and private information misused, and had expressed her desire to expose the “criminality that runs through the heart” of the corporation. However, she acknowledged that pursuing justice would have required “countless millions of pounds” to pursue her claims.
News Group Newspapers is pushing for an initial trial in January to determine whether the cases against it have been brought too late, outside a legal time limit. However, the legal teams for Harry and the other celebrities have argued that this approach would be “highly disruptive and prejudicial” and could result in findings that some claims are “time-barred” and therefore dismissed. The judge hearing the case has asked both sides to make further submissions on the issue before ruling, and is expected to give his decision at 10am on Friday.