Prince Harry’s lawyers have asked a judge to rule that a tabloid newspaper libelled him in an article about his need for police protection when in the UK.
His team brought in a bid to have The Mail on Sunday's defence to the libel claim thrown out, the court was told on Friday.
But lawyers for the publisher, Associated Newspapers, told London's High Court that the prince’s libel claim was “built on sand”.
Prince Harry is suing The Mail on Sunday’s publisher over an article alleging he tried to cover up a legal challenge brought against the British government over its refusal to let him pay for police security.
The story was published online and in the newspaper in February 2022 under the headline: “Exclusive: How Prince Harry tried to keep his legal fight with the government over police bodyguards a secret … then — just minutes after the story broke — his PR machine tried to put a positive spin on the dispute.”
Associated is contesting the case, arguing the article expressed an “honest opinion” and did not cause “serious harm” to his reputation.
Justin Rushbrooke KC, for Prince Harry, said the facts did not support the publisher’s “substantive pleaded defence”. He said the article was “fundamentally inaccurate”.
He added the article “purported to reveal, in sensational terms” that information from court documents filed by the Duke of Sussex “contradicted public statements he had previously made about his willingness to pay for police protection for himself and his family whilst in the UK”.
The court was told that the case revolves around two statements provided to journalists in January 2022 on Prince Harry's behalf.
One statement could be quoted publicly and the second was to be paraphrased as background information over the duke's decision to bring legal action against the Home Office.
The court heard that in the public statement, Prince Harry and his family were described as “unable to return to his home” due to the lack of police protection needed in the UK.
Mr Rushbrooke said the paper's defence “rests upon two provably false premises” relating to the statements.
The first was a suggestion that the duke had allegedly made a false claim over his willingness to pay for police protection in the UK, while the second was that he had allegedly stated his case against the Home Office was over a refusal to let him pay for this security.
Prince Harry's public statement about the offer was “completely clear”, Mr Rushbrooke said.
Andrew Caldecott KC, for Associated, said that the bid to end their defence without a trial was “wholly without merit” and that “the whole case is built on sand”.
“The claimant was responsible for press statements that said he would pay for security when he had never expressed any willingness to pay until after the judicial review,” he said.
Mr Caldecott added that the argument from Prince Harry amounted to “straitjacketing the newspaper’s right to comment”.
He said it was vital the media speak truth to power, and “speaking opinion to power is every bit [as], if not more, important”, as long as the opinion is based on facts.
A date for a ruling has not been named
MATCH INFO
Tottenham Hotspur 1
Kane (50')
Newcastle United 0
Company Profile
Founders: Tamara Hachem and Yazid Erman
Based: Dubai
Launched: September 2019
Sector: health technology
Stage: seed
Investors: Oman Technology Fund, angel investor and grants from Sharjah's Sheraa and Ma'an Abu Dhabi
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Arabian Gulf League fixtures:
Friday:
- Emirates v Hatta, 5.15pm
- Al Wahda v Al Dhafra, 5.25pm
- Al Ain v Shabab Al Ahli Dubai, 8.15pm
Saturday:
- Dibba v Ajman, 5.15pm
- Sharjah v Al Wasl, 5.20pm
- Al Jazira v Al Nasr, 8.15pm
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Specs
Price, base: Dhs850,000
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 591bhp @ 7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm @ 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 11.3L / 100km
HAJJAN
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Abu%20Bakr%20Shawky%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cbr%3EStarring%3A%20Omar%20Alatawi%2C%20Tulin%20Essam%2C%20Ibrahim%20Al-Hasawi%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
SPECS%3A%20Polestar%203
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BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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FORSPOKEN
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Company%20of%20Heroes%203
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Star%20Wars%20Jedi%3A%20Survivor
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Diablo%20IV
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The%20Legend%20of%20Zelda%3A%20Tears%20of%20The%20Kingdom
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Starfield
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Godzilla%20x%20Kong%3A%20The%20New%20Empire
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Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
The specs: 2018 Jeep Compass
Price, base: Dh100,000 (estimate)
Engine: 2.4L four-cylinder
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Power: 184bhp at 6,400rpm
Torque: 237Nm at 3,900rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 9.4L / 100km
Opening weekend Premier League fixtures
Weekend of August 10-13
Arsenal v Manchester City
Bournemouth v Cardiff City
Fulham v Crystal Palace
Huddersfield Town v Chelsea
Liverpool v West Ham United
Manchester United v Leicester City
Newcastle United v Tottenham Hotspur
Southampton v Burnley
Watford v Brighton & Hove Albion
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Everton
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Teri%20Baaton%20Mein%20Aisa%20Uljha%20Jiya
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More on Quran memorisation:
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
Company%20Profile
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If%20you%20go
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