Image source, PA Media

Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) has consistently denied any wrongdoing. Its barrister, Antony White KC, told the court the articles were generally the continuation of ongoing, widespread reporting.

ANL has admitted commissioning private investigators while Mail journalists gave evidence that they believed private investigators (PIs) had access to legitimate databases allowing them to get public information more quickly.

Katie Nicholl, the former Mail on Sunday royal editor, and Rebecca English, the Daily Mail's current royal editor, were repeatedly asked specifically where information about Prince Harry had come from.

They said they, or their sources, were on the fringes of his social circle.

Former Daily Mail editor Paul Dacre told the court he "brought the shutters down" on any unlawful newsgathering at the paper when he found out about it while he accepted there may be evidence private investigators working on behalf of the paper may have used unlawful techniques.

He said he "utterly refutes" allegations of unlawful newsgathering by journalists and told the court that he stopped the use of PIs.

Image source, Getty Images

In this and the next post, we will talk you through some of the arguments we heard in court during the trial at the start of the year. Firstly, the claimants.

There are seven claimants in this case jointly suing Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) over claims it misused their private information.

At times, the evidence they gave was emotional.

• Elizabeth Hurley was reduced to tears after describing the effect of the reporting of the paternity row about her son with the American businessman Steve Bing
• Prince Harry flew in to give evidence in person - his anger was plain to see as he argued there were 14 articles written using unlawfully gathered information about his private life
• Sadie Frost's claims cover 11 articles including a draft story about Frost's ectopic pregnancy
• Doreen Lawrence alleged five articles relied on information "stolen" about her and the investigation into her son Stephen's murder
• On Elton John and his husband David Furnish, barrister David Sherborne said details were published about the birth of their surrogate son - including his birth certificate before the couple had received their own copy
• For Simon Hughes, the barrister said the Mail was "prepared to exploit his sexuality", also citing a moment in 2006 when Hughes was "outed on the front page of the Sun"

ANL denies all the allegations.

A high-stakes case for Harry and for publisher ANLpublished at 13:39 BST

13:39 BST

Tom Symonds
News correspondent

Image source, EPA/Shutterstock

In previous legal battles with the press, Prince Harry won 15 claims in his case against Mirror Group Newspapers and separately received "substantial" damages and an apology in a settlement with the publisher of the Sun.

The case against ANL was potentially his last major court challenge to a newspaper publisher, but his most difficult.

ANL has always maintained it wasn't involved in unlawful information gathering.

The publisher said it used what it calls "inquiry agents" until 2007 to get publicly listed addresses and phone numbers.

This "all or nothing" defence, plus an aggressive public response to Prince Harry's claims, mean this is a high-stakes case for both the prince and the publisher.

If he loses badly, an already critical Daily Mail could well hit back at him in its coverage of this trial and other aspects of his life.

But he has always showed a determination for these battles, borne partly of an ongoing concern for his privacy, and a feeling that the Royal Family was wrong to advise him when younger not to take legal action.

Prince Harry is this afternoon attending an event in London for the Invictus Games - his charity for injured military veterans.

He was pictured arriving at Chatham House a few moments ago.

Image source, Reuters

Helena Wilkinson
Reporting from the Royal Courts of Justice

I’m outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London.

We're expecting the written judgment to be handed down remotely at 14:00 BST.

There won’t be a hearing in court.

We should get a press summary along with the full ruling - that will allow us to bring you the main findings quickly.

When the judgment is handed down Prince Harry won't be far from court - about two miles - for an event related to the Invictus Games.

Whichever way the judgment goes I'd expect Harry to give his reaction at some stage.

Publisher ANL has been accused in this case of "grave breaches of privacy" by the seven claimants.

The organisation has repeatedly denied the allegations - which it calls "lurid" and "preposterous" - and has strenuously defended its journalists.

It was unsuccessful in its attempt to get the case thrown out in 2023, where it had argued the claims had been brought "far too late".

Lawyers for the claimants successfully argued that new evidence had come to light, and they did not know how information was being covertly acquired at the time.

Image source, Getty Images

Today's judgment will come online, and we have reporters poised to go through the paperwork when it lands - which could be lengthy.

Judge Mr Justice Nicklin will set out whether the claims against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) have been found proven in a decision that follows a months-long trial at the beginning of the year.

The seven claimants are Prince Harry, Elton John and husband David Furnish, actresses Liz Hurley and Sadie Frost (referred to as Sadie Frost Law in court documents), campaigner Doreen Lawrence, and former MP Simon Hughes.

The 10-week trial was held at the Royal Courts of Justice in London where the claimants accused ANL of unlawful information gathering and "grave breaches of privacy".

Articles published years ago were used as examples as the claimants' lawyer David Sherborne sought to demonstrate "systematic unlawful information gathering".

ANL has repeatedly denied the allegations, which it calls "lurid" and "preposterous".

Sean Coughlan
Royal correspondent

Prince Harry’s court battles with the UK press have always seemed like a deeply personal issue for him.

The sense of unfair intrusion from press coverage was seen by him as disrupting his private life and relationships.

It seemed like a raw wound and he was clearly upset at the end of his testimony in the High Court for this case against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL).

The sense of anger at excessive press intrusion was also connected in Harry’s life to the pursuit of his mother, Princess Diana.

But it could be the end of an era if this case against ANL proves to be his last big court case against the press.

Noor Nanji
Royal correspondent, at Chatham House

I'm at Chatham House in central London, where the media has gathered to catch a glimpse of Prince Harry.

He's expected here today at an event related to the Invictus Games - which he founded.

That’s what he’d like to be talking about - but speculation over his row with the Royal Family, as well as the imminent judgment in his High Court case against the Daily Mail’s publishers, are threatening to overshadow everything…

Daniela Relph
Senior royal correspondent

Image source, EPA

Prince Harry was back in the UK yesterday, his spokesman confirmed, for a planned five-day trip supporting a number of his charities.

We know he’s staying on private premises - instead of Buckingham Palace - contrary to what his team had initially announced.

Royal sources said he had not responded in time to their offer of palace accommodation so could no longer stay there.

On other recent visits, the duke has checked into hotels in London or just outside in Berkshire – and he’s also stayed with friends.

We’ll see him later today at a conference relating to the Invictus Games at Chatham House in Central London.

It’s not yet known whether Prince Harry will meet the King on this trip or whether the Duchess of Sussex and their children will join him when he goes up to the Midlands on Thursday.

Prince Harry's case against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) is not his first legal battle against the media.

In January 2025, the publisher of the Sun newspaper agreed to pay Harry "substantial damages" and apologised for "serious intrusion" into his private life between 1996 and 2011. The settlement ended a long-running legal dispute.

News Group Newspapers - which also published the News of the World before its 2011 closure - also apologised for the distress it caused the prince through the "extensive coverage" and "serious intrusion" into the private life of his late mother, Princess Diana.

Separately, at the end of 2023, the duke won 15 claims in his case accusing Mirror Group Newspapers of unlawfully gathering information for stories published about him.

A few months later he settled his remaining claims against them. At the time, sources said the group would pay all of Prince Harry's legal costs, plus hundreds of thousands of pounds in damages.

Image source, Getty Images

There are seven claimants in this case - all of whom have alleged Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) breached their privacy:

• Prince Harry
• Musician Elton John and his husband David Furnish
• Actresses Elizabeth Hurley and Sadie Frost Law
• Doreen Lawrence, campaigner and the mother of murdered Stephen Lawrence
• Former Lib Dem MP Simon Hughes

The group is represented by barrister David Sherborne.

Image source, Reuters

A judgment is due today in the civil case brought by the Duke of Sussex and six other claimants against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL), the publisher of the Daily Mail.

Prince Harry, alongside other well-known figures including Elton John and Elizabeth Hurley, accuse the publisher of unlawful information gathering, in relation to a series of stories published years ago.

ANL strongly denies the claims, and denies acting unlawfully - they have said they simply had great sources.

Today's judgment follows a 10-week court battle at the beginning of the year in the Royal Courts of Justice.

The prince was present for the first three days of the trial and took the stand to give evidence for two hours.

It is his third major court battle accusing newspaper groups of unlawful behaviour.

Today's judgment will be delivered in writing - once it's released, we'll bring you the findings.