Prince Harry's Tabloid Rivalry Flares Ahead of Final Lawsuit

Newsweek

8 hours ago

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Prince Harry's team has—for the second week running—moved to challenge a story published in his most disliked newspaper group in a sign tensions remain high ahead of an upcoming lawsuit.
First, the Duke of Sussex sent a legal letter to the Daily Mail over its serialization of a biography by historian Andrew Loney, which alleged a fight between Harry and Prince Andrew that the former says did not happen.
Now, the prince's team have moved to shoot down a Mail on Sunday article stating he would launch a new charity, after being frozen out of Sentebale, the HIV and AIDS organization he set up in his mother's memory.
Prince Harry attends a welcome event at Sentebale's Mamohato Children's Centre during a visit to Maseru, Lesotho, on October 1, 2024.
Prince Harry attends a welcome event at Sentebale's Mamohato Children's Centre during a visit to Maseru, Lesotho, on October 1, 2024.for Sentebale
Why It Matters
It all points to continued tension between Harry and the Mail ahead of an impending lawsuit in which the prince and other public figures have accused the newspaper group of hacking voicemails and wiretapping phones. The publisher denies the allegations.
The state of relations between the two sides are of increased relevance as it gives a hint about whether there is any possibility of settling the case outside court, as Harry did with Rupert Murdoch's media empire earlier this year.
If the two sides cannot negotiate their way out of the case, then it will set the stage for a highly charged courtroom showdown.
Prince Harry's Sentebale Charity
Harry resigned from Sentebale alongside co-founder Prince Seeiso of Lesotho and a number of trustees in March following a major dispute with the chair, Sophie Chandauka.
Newsweek was told Prince Harry was "devastated" and had wanted U.K. regulator the Charity Commission to force out Chandauka, but when it wrapped up its regulatory case last week it left her in charge of the organization.
Harry was cleared of bullying, but faces the prospect he will be left watching from the sidelines as she runs an organization created in part to honor his mother Princess Diana's legacy.
The Mail on Sunday reported that Harry was planning to set up a new charity in southern Africa to allow him to continue the work with the headline: "Prince Harry launches new African children's charity after bullying row."
Harry hits back at charity chief in bullying row - by launching new African children's charity https://t.co/gyLRiXzl22 — Daily Mail (@DailyMail) August 10, 2025
That prompted a rare on-the-record statement from Harry's spokesperson sent to Newsweek and others: "The duke remains absolutely committed to continuing the work he started, supporting the children and young people of Lesotho and Botswana, nearly 20 years ago.
"In what form that support takes—no decisions have been made. All options remain on the table; whether that be starting a new charity or working to support preexisting charities operating in the same sector in the region."
The MoS article included quotes from an insider which offered a more nuanced perspective, suggesting Harry and Seeiso were "keen to work together on a new venture" and were "talking about" creating a new charity "or clubbing together to support other existing charities."
And the Mail also ran a follow-up story with the spokesperson's quote that stated it was one of a number of options.
Prince Harry's Legal Letter to the Daily Mail
Harry's attorney sent the Daily Mail a legal letter over claims Harry and Andrew had a physical fight in 2013, as well suggestions Andrew said Meghan Markle was an "opportunist" and Harry was making a mistake by marrying her.
A spokesperson denied both accounts, which were contained in a serialization of historian Lownie's new biography, Entitled, about Andrew, which comes out this week.
An initial statement read: "I can confirm Prince Harry and Prince Andrew have never had a physical fight, nor did Prince Andrew ever make the comments he is alleged to have made about the Duchess of Sussex to Prince Harry."
A spokesperson then told Newsweek: "Such are the gross inaccuracies, damaging and defamatory remarks made in the Daily Mail's story, I can confirm a legal letter from Prince Harry's counsel has been sent to the Mail."
Prince Harry's Daily Mail Lawsuit
Harry sued publisher Associated Newspapers on allegations of phone hacking and other illegal practices at sister titles the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday in 2022.
The phone-hacking scandal sent shockwaves through British society for years from 2009 and led to the closure of a Sunday tabloid, the News of the World, published by Murdoch's News Group Newspapers.
Reporters at the paper had been intercepting voicemail messages and using the contents to write stories about celebrities, politicians, public figures and even a teenage murder victim.
A police investigation led to several executives at the paper being convicted of phone hacking and there was at one point speculation other titles could be dragged into the scandal.
The Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday, however, were never caught up in it, so if Harry and the other claimants were to successfully prove phone hacking at the Mail, it would be major coup.
It would likely also open the door to a whole series of new lawsuits and a new chapter in the ongoing story.
The Mail titles, though, have vigorously denied the allegations and look poised to fight the case tooth and nail, with a trial currently slated for early 2026.
Associated issued a statement in May to Newsweek and others: "Associated Newspapers has filed a trenchant defense of its journalism against claims of phone-hacking brought by Prince Harry, Baroness Doreen Lawrence, Sir Simon Hughes and a number of showbusiness celebrities.
"In papers submitted to the High Court, the publisher of the Daily Mail and The Mail on Sunday denied under oath that its journalists had commissioned or obtained information derived from phone hacking, phone tapping, bugging, computer or email hacking or burglary to order."
"The publisher stands by its previous statements that the claims are preposterous and without foundation," it added.
It is the fourth time between them that Harry and Meghan have sued the Mail on Sunday, after two past libel lawsuits and a privacy case about the publication of a letter Meghan sent her father.
Harry also sued News Group Newspapers, publisher of the News of the World and The Sun, but against the odds settled out of court for an undisclosed sum thought to be seven or eight figures.
Jack Royston is chief royal correspondent for Newsweek, based in London. You can find him on X at @jack_royston and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.
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