Prince Harry, UK newspaper publisher agree to hit pause on libel case

Prince Harry and Associated Newspapers, one of Britain’s biggest media publishers, have agreed a temporary pause in his libel claim to try to settle the case, London’s high court heard on Tuesday.

The Duke of Sussex sued the publisher in February after an article in the Mail on Sunday alleged he tried to keep secret details of his legal fight with Britain’s interior ministry to reinstate his police protection.

Harry, who with his wife Meghan Markle stepped down from royal duties two years ago, said the newspaper published an “unremittingly negative” article about his ongoing case against the Home Office. The high court ruled it was defamatory in July.

Associated Newspapers, however, argues the story contained “an expression of opinion” about Harry’s public statements on his legal case regarding police protection and is defending the case.

It returned to court for a preliminary hearing on Tuesday, at which Harry’s lawyer, Jane Phillips, said the parties have agreed to put the lawsuit on hold until mid-January to try to negotiate a settlement, “if that is indeed possible”.

Associated Newspapers applied for Harry to provide further information about a meeting at the royal Sandringham estate in January 2020, where he said he made an offer to pay for or contribute to police protection.

Judge Barbara Fontaine ruled Harry’s lawyers should provide “clarification” about the offer, which she added would “assist the parties ... in the attempts about settlement, which I hope are successful”.

Tuesday’s hearing came just days before the release of a much-anticipated Netflix documentary about Harry and Meghan.

— Reuters