Prince Harry and others may owe millions in Daily Mail case

Prince Harry, Elton John and five other claimants may have to pay millions of pounds after losing their case against the publisher of the Daily Mail, the High Court in London heard on Wednesday.

The seven claimants lost their case this month against Associated Newspapers Limited over allegations of unlawful information gathering and invasions of privacy. They had accused Mail journalists during an 11-week trial of bugging cars and homes, listening to calls and accessing bank accounts and medical records. Associated Newspapers denied the allegations.

In a written judgment published earlier in July, the judge said the claimants had failed to prove their pleaded allegations and dismissed the lawsuit.

At a hearing on costs, lawyers for Associated Newspapers argued that the claimants should cover a larger proportion of the publisher's £34 million legal costs. The amount they may have to pay will depend on whether the judge orders costs on a standard basis or on a stricter indemnity basis.

Antony White, for Associated Newspapers, argued for the indemnity basis and described the case as an all-out attack and a campaign rather than ordinary and reasonable litigation.

Nicholas Bacon, representing the claimants, said an indemnity costs order would be very significant because the claimants had combined insurance cover of £16.2 million, which could leave them personally exposed by many millions of pounds. He said the claimants had acted honestly and in good faith and should not be liable for all of the publisher's legal spending.

The claimants are Harry, Elton John, David Furnish, Elizabeth Hurley, Sadie Frost, Doreen Lawrence and Simon Hughes. The hearing is set to continue on Thursday, with a written judgment expected later.

Earlier this month, Harry and Lawrence said in a joint statement that the ruling was a complete and obvious whitewash.