Prince Harry Withdraws Libel Claim Against Mail on Sunday Publisher
Prince Harry has withdrawn his libel claim against the publisher of the Mail on Sunday, Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL), according to a spokesperson for the company.
The Duke of Sussex sued ANL over a February 2022 article that discussed his legal challenge against the Home Office regarding changes to his publicly funded security arrangements during visits to the UK. The article claimed that Harry "tried to keep details of his legal battle to reinstate his police protection secret from the public." The duke's lawyers argued that the story was an attack on his honesty and integrity, and tried to contradict public statements he had made about paying for police protection.
ANL contested the libel claim, asserting that the article expressed an "honest opinion" and did not cause "serious harm" to his reputation. In a ruling last month, the duke lost a bid to have ANL's defence thrown out, and he was ordered to pay £48,447 toward the publisher's legal bills.
The trial for the case is scheduled to take place between May and July.
This development comes as Prince Harry continues a separate legal action against the Home Office over the decision to reduce his personal protective security while in the UK, expressing concerns for the safety of his children, Archie and Lilibet.
