Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and six other celebrities have been ordered to pay Associated Newspapers, publisher of the Daily Mail, an initial sum of around £9.54 million, after losing their privacy invasion case against the company.

The claim was brought against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL), which publishes the Daily Mail, the Mail on Sunday and MailOnline. The claimants alleged that unlawful information-gathering practices had been used against them. The company categorically denied the allegations.

On 7 July, Justice Matthew Nicklin at the High Court dismissed the claims, ruling that the high-profile claimants had failed to prove their case.

Among those who brought the action were Harry; music icon Sir Elton John and his husband, the film producer David Furnish; the former Liberal Democrat politician Sir Simon Hughes; the actress Sadie Frost; the actress Elizabeth Hurley; and the anti-racism campaigner Baroness Doreen Lawrence.

Dozens of witnesses gave evidence during the trial, including the Duke of Sussex and the other claimants. Harry travelled from the United States to Britain to attend the proceedings in person.

Associated Newspapers, journalists and executives, both current and former, gave evidence denying that any unlawful activity had taken place.

After the ruling, Harry and Lawrence said they had gone to court seeking “justice and accountability” but had received neither. “This is a complete and blatant cover-up, though sadly not unexpected,” they said in a joint statement.

Associated Newspapers had asked the court for an interim payment of more than £9.9 million towards its legal costs, ahead of further proceedings to determine the final bill in detail.

Lawyers for the claimants argued the sum should be limited to just over £7.9 million. The judge ultimately set the interim payment at around £9.54 million, with a deadline of 28 August for payment.

BREAKING: Prince Harry, Elton John and others to pay initial £9.5m legal costs to the Daily Mail's publishers https://t.co/PAiZ4D1jU3

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