Prince HarryThe first phase of the defamation case against him has been won The Mail on Sunday.
A High Court judge in London has recently ruled that parts of an article published by the U.K. based newspaper—which centered on the Duke of Sussex’s separate legal case against the government over security arrangements—were defamatory, per the BBC.
In a written statement submitted during a preliminary hearing in June, according to the outlet, Prince Harry previously stated that the article—published in February of this year—had caused him “substantial hurt, embarrassment and distress, which is continuing.”
Prince Harry was represented by his lawyer who claimed the story incorrectly implied that he had “lied” or “cynically tried to manipulate public opinion. The newspaper’s publisher, Associated Newspapers Limited said that the article contained “no hint” of improper conduct.
Although the ruling by the High Court was only the first step in the Royal’s Libel Claim, the Royal would still need to bring a defense if it were to proceed.