Prince Harry Loses Privacy Case Against Daily Mail Publisher

Prince Harry has lost his privacy case against Associated Newspapers, publisher of the Daily Mail which he had alleged of widespread unlawful behaviour.

The Duke of Sussex, 41, and six other claimants, including singer Elton John and actors Elizabeth Hurley and Sadie Frost, had accused the company of violating their privacy from the early 1990s until the 2010s.

They alleged Associated Newspapers tapped their phones, intercepted voicemails and obtained personal information through deception.

But the newspapers denied the allegations as "preposterous," insisting the information reported was based on lawful sources including friends, royal aides and publicists who offered information to reporters.

Judge Matthew Nicklin, who issued his ruling remotely without a hearing, dismissed all of the claims made by the claimants.

The publisher has described the judgement as "an overwhelming victory for the Daily Mail and its journalists".

Legal costs for the 11-week trial have been estimated at about £40 million ($77 million).

The judgment coincides with Prince Harry's return to London for charity events.

It was the third and final of Harry’s lawsuits accusing tabloid publishers of using unlawful tactics, such as phone hacking, or hiring private detectives to dig up dirt to snoop on his life.