Judge rules British tabloid's article about Prince Harry was defamatory

Prince Harry
(Image credit: Samir Hussein/Samir Hussein/WireImage)

Prince Harry has scored a win in his latest legal battle with a British tabloid.

A judge in London has ruled that parts of an article published in The Mail on Sunday about the Duke of Sussex were defamatory, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

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Now, Judge ​​Matthew Nicklin has agreed the article was defamatory, saying readers would believe Harry was "responsible for attempting to mislead and confuse the public," Reuters reports. This doesn't mean Harry has won the case but that he can proceed with it. "This is very much the first phase in a libel claim," the judge said, and the publisher will now file a defense.

Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, have engaged in numerous legal battles with British tabloids in recent years. Harry previously sued the publisher of the Mail on Sunday over an article claiming he "turned his back" on the Royal Marines, which led to a correction. Meghan Markle also won a claim against the publisher for publishing portions of a private letter she sent to her father.

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Brendan Morrow

Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.