The court ruled that his claims of the publisher unlawfully obtaining information can proceed to trial. This decision follows the publisher's attempt to stop the case, arguing that the claims were made too late.
Alongside Prince Harry, other high-profile claimants in the case include Sir Elton John, David Furnish, Elizabeth Hurley, Sadie Frost, Sir Simon Hughes, and Baroness Doreen Lawrence. They accuse the newspaper group of "gross breaches of privacy," such as using bugging devices and dishonestly obtaining sensitive information.
The judge, Mr Justice Nicklin, stated that the newspaper had not been able to conclusively dismiss any of the claims. Associated Newspapers has denied the allegations, calling them "preposterous." They also welcomed the ruling that confidential information from the Leveson Inquiry into phone hacking cannot be used in this case.
The claimants' lawyers successfully argued that they were unaware at the time of how information was covertly acquired, and new evidence had emerged.
Mr Justice Nicklin's ruling acknowledged that the claimants might not have known about the concealed information gathering, allowing the case to proceed despite the passage of time. The ruling is significant for the ongoing legal battles between high-profile individuals and the UK tabloid press.