A British judge ruled on Tuesday that Prince Harry had failed to prove that Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) had invaded his privacy, quashing the royal's final lawsuit against the British tabloids.

Harry had accused the Daily Mail, an ANL tabloid, of unlawfully obtaining information about his private life and that of his wife Meghan.

Judge Matthew Nicklin said that "suspicion, even where understandable" did not prove legal wrongdoing, and that hard evidence against ANL was lacking. 

The journalists in question had offered "lawful explanations for the sourcing of the disputed articles and incidents," he said.

An ANL spokesperson called Tuesday's ruling a "vindication" for the Daily Mail.

Last of three lawsuits

Harry had been joined by six other public figures, including musician Elton John and actresses Elizabeth Hurley and Sadie Frost, in bringing the suit, which had sought significant legal damages.

In some cases, the judge said that too much time had elapsed since the alleged offenses for them to be prosecuted.

This was the final of three lawsuits Harry has brought against UK media, whom he has accused of hacking and hiring private detectives to follow him. A contentious case against the Rupert Murdoch-owned Sun ended in a settlement last year. In 2024, a judge ruled partially in his favor in a phone-hacking case.

Prince Harry is currently in the UK to promote his non-profit sports event the Invictus Games, and is not expected to give a comment on the ruling.

Edited by: Zac Crellin

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