Prince Harry dealt financial blow ahead of UK return
Prince Harry dealt financial blow this week after a High Court order requiring him and six co-claimants to pay about $11 million in interim costs to the Daily Mail's publisher, with payment due in the coming days as he and Meghan Markle prepare to move back to Britain later this month.
Key Takeaways
- Harry and six co-claimants were ordered to pay roughly $11 million after losing their High Court case against Associated Newspapers Limited.
- The interim payment is due in the coming week, with a judge previously setting Aug. 28 as the deadline.
- Page Six hears cash is a "big" reason the Sussexes are returning to the UK from Montecito for an extended stay.
- Prince William and Kate Middleton remain estranged from Harry and Meghan amid the move news.
What financial blow did Prince Harry just face?
According to Page Six, the Duke of Sussex and his co-claimants must pay $11 million after losing their High Court privacy case against the Daily Mail's publisher last month.
The BBC reported Friday that the payment is due in the coming week. When the claimants lost in July, Associated Newspapers Limited sought an interim payment until exact legal costs are settled. Judge Mr Justice Nicklin said that interim sum was due on Aug. 28.
Harry shares the bill with Sir Elton John, David Furnish, Sir Simon Hughes, Sadie Frost, Liz Hurley and Baroness Doreen Lawrence. At a late-July costs hearing, ANL requested up to $47 million in legal fees. That judgment is still pending.
After the July verdict, Harry and Lawrence called the outcome "shocking" and "unwarranted," writing that it was "a complete and obvious whitewash, but sadly not altogether unexpected."
Why does the timing matter for the Sussexes' UK move?
The costs hit arrives as Harry and Meghan prepare to relocate from Montecito, California, to England with their children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5. Page Six has confirmed they will return at the end of the month for "an extended period," with the children set to enroll in school there.
While sources say the couple wants to be closer to King Charles, an insider told Page Six that money also played a "big" role. "Anything that comes in instantly goes out," the source said, citing mortgages and security as major expenses.
The same reporting stresses they are "not out of money," and another source claimed they "had more money than most even before Megxit." The duo reportedly has not planned to sell or rent their California mansion.
For more royal and celebrity updates, follow BlasterPost's Celebrity Breaking News hub.
Are Prince William and Kate Middleton reconciled with Harry and Meghan?
No. William and Kate remain estranged from the Sussexes and have not publicly commented on the return. They were photographed at Balmoral on Friday for the first time since the UK-move news broke.
A palace source said the palace was made aware of the move. Charles, who has cancer, was informed just four days before the story became public, though he is said to be excited to spend more time with his youngest son's family.
Royal reporter Tom Sykes told Page Six the move creates "serious risks for the monarchy" and a "huge succession" of challenges for William, given the brothers' longstanding feud.