Prince Harry ordered to pay newspaper $90,000 after losing libel case fight

Prince Harry will have to pay a huge amount to a British newspaper after losing the latest stage of his High Court battle.

Prince Harry has been ordered to pay the Mail on Sunday £48,447 (A$92,665) after losing the latest stage of his High Court libel battle.

The Duke of Sussex, 38, has sued the newspaper’s publishers, Associated Newspapers, over an article written about his fight with the Home Office for full royal security protection, reports The Sun.

Associated Newspapers argued the article expressed an “honest opinion”.

Harry leaving a London court in June after giving evidence on a separate matter. Picture: Leon Neal/Getty Images

It added that it did not cause “serious harm” to Harry’s reputation and so wasn’t libel.

The duke tried to have the “honest opinion” defence thrown out but it will now be included, according to a High Court Judgement on Friday.

Judge Mr Justice Nicklin ruled the publisher had a “real prospect of arguing its case.”

And the duke will now pay the newspaper’s costs of £48,447 (A$92,665) by December 29.

The judge said, in a written case order released to journalists on Monday, that those costs should be assessed if they were not agreed.

But he said the duke should pay Associated the full amount “on account” before the end of the year.

Meghan and Harry during an appearance in October. Picture: Bryan Bedder/Getty Images

Prince Harry claimed the article, published in 2022, was libellous, and attacked his “honesty and integrity”.

The article claimed he “tried to keep his legal fight over security secret” but then “tried to put a positive spin on the dispute”.

His lawyers claimed it was inaccurate, and suggested he’d “lied” or “cynically” attempted to mislead the public.

Mr Justice Nicklin said a trial was scheduled for between May 17 and July 31 next year.

He estimated it would last three days and a “pre-trial review” hearing would be staged about two months before the trial.

This article originally appeared in The Sun and was reproduced with permission.