Harry Faces Millions In Legal Costs After Lawsuit Defeat ― But Someone Close May Come To His Rescue
A new report claims that a close family friend of Prince Harry could step in to offer support during the unexpected financial setback.
Prince Harry faced a fresh setback shortly after arriving in the UK as he carried out his commitments to promote the Invictus Games. On the very first day, he received the devastating news that the UK High Court had ruled against him in his privacy lawsuit against the publisher of the Daily Mail. The decision left the Duke potentially facing millions in legal costs. While there has been no indication of how those costs might be covered, a new report claims that Sir Elton John, also a close family friend of the Prince, could step in to offer support during the unexpected financial setback.
As Prince Harry is slapped with nearly $20 million (£15m), it has been claimed by an insider that his mother's close friend and also one of the claimants in the case, Sir Elton John, might rescue the Duke from his financial mess. "The people funding the case will likely help Harry with costs," a legal source told Page Six. "Elton John could also well help Harry out. They’re extremely close." The Candle In The Wind singer shares a very close bond with the Prince, even performing during the Sussexes' 2018 wedding. The insider further stated, "Harry definitely doesn’t have the money for it," the insider continued, adding that Markle will "likely be very furious about the fees. She did not want him to [pursue the case]."
The ex-royals spend approximately $3 million annually on security and have two mortgages on their $14.5 million home in Montecito, California, the publication reported. In 2021, during his exclusive with Oprah Winfrey, Harry had revealed that he was financially relying on his late mother, Princess Diana's inheritance, after he was cut off from the royal fold since becoming a non-working royal in 2020. "I’ve got what my mum left me, and without that we would not have been able to do this," Harry said.
Talking about the latest verdict against the claimants, former costs judge Colin Campbell noted that the publisher has the discretion to decide which claimant it pursues for legal costs and can seek payment from whoever it believes is most likely to pay. "They can choose who has the most money and who will be easiest to get payment from … It could be Elton John, Prince Harry and Elizabeth Hurley … they don’t have to go to each claimant separately," Campbell added. ANL has argued that the claimants, including Harry, should cover its legal costs, which it said totaled £50 million (around $66 million). Campbell further explained that once the court determines the final amount owed, the claimants will have 14 days to pay up to 90% of the assessed costs.
