Prince Harry files libel suit against ‘Daily Mail’ publisher

Prince Harry has filed a lawsuit against British newspaper publisher Associated Newspapers that alleges libel in response to an article that included claims about the intentions behind Harry’s recent legal interactions with the U.K. government, Reuters reports.

The Daily Mail wrote an article Sunday claiming that Harry, also known as the Duke of Sussex, attempted to keep his lawsuit against the British government private by seeking a confidentiality order on documents and statements relating to the case. The information was allegedly provided to the Mail by a source familiar with the situation.

Associated Newspapers, home to the Daily Mail and the defendant in Harry’s lawsuit, is one of the largest newspaper publishers in the U.K.

A spokesperson for Harry verified that he is suing Associated Newspapers, but declined to provide further comment.

Harry and his wife Meghan, an American actress formerly known as Meghan Markle, have raised concerns about the customs of the royal family, most recently including its policy to provide police protection exclusively to members of the family in active royal roles.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped away from their royal duties and moved to California two years ago after openly criticizing the press and the royal family.

Harry is currently embroiled in a legal battle attempting to provide his family with government-funded police protection when they visit Britain rather than finding private means of security.

Meghan won a lawsuit against the Mail on Sunday, also affiliated with Associated Newspapers, in 2021, which she filed in response to the paper’s 2018 release of sections of a private letter she had written to her estranged father.