Prince Harry, Elton John among claimants in lawsuit against Daily Mail publisher

LONDON: Britain’s Prince Harry, music star Elton John and several other high-profile figures are suing Associated Newspapers, the publisher of the Daily Mail, alleging decades of unlawful information-gathering practices. The trial began in London on Monday.

The claimants accuse Associated of operating a “culture” of illegal activity, including the use of private investigators who allegedly obtained personal information through unlawful means such as phone hacking, deception and the misuse of confidential records. Associated strongly denies the allegations.

Lawyers for the claimants argue that unlawful information gathering was part of the publisher’s regular way of working and involved journalists and senior executives across its titles. Court documents allege that Associated spent more than £3 million between 1991 and 2011 on private investigators, some of whom were later found to have carried out illegal acts in cases involving other media organisations.

The claimants also accuse Associated of deliberately concealing evidence of wrongdoing and withholding information from the 2011–2012 public inquiry into press standards and ethics. Associated rejects those claims, saying allegations of widespread unlawful conduct are “simply untrue.”

Prince Harry’s case focuses on 14 articles published between 2001 and 2013, including stories that allegedly revealed private conversations with his brother, Prince William, about their late mother, Princess Diana. His lawyers say the information had no legitimate source and caused serious harm to his personal relationships and private life.

In a witness statement, Harry said it was “disturbing” to believe that his private thoughts, movements and communications were being monitored for commercial gain. Associated denies any unlawful information gathering directed at the Duke of Sussex.

The lawsuit also includes claims from anti-racism campaigner Doreen Lawrence, actor Sadie Frost and others. Lawrence, whose son Stephen was murdered in a racist attack in 1993, said she felt “profoundly betrayed” by Mail titles, which had publicly supported her family’s campaign for justice.

Sadie Frost alleges that a Mail on Sunday reporter unlawfully obtained details of a secret ectopic pregnancy and termination in 2003 by deceiving hospital staff. No article was published, but her lawyers say a draft story contained highly sensitive medical information. Associated says the information came from legitimate confidential sources close to Frost and her then-estranged husband, actor Jude Law.

Senior journalists are also referenced in the case. The claimants argue that repeated public denials of wrongdoing by former Daily Mail editor Paul Dacre contributed to their decision not to bring legal action earlier. Associated maintains that its journalists acted lawfully and that articles cited in the case were properly sourced.

The trial is expected to examine the extent of information-gathering practices at one of Britain’s most influential newspaper publishers and could have wider implications for press accountability and privacy law.