Prince Harry sues tabloid for defamation, attempts to avoid going to trial

Lawyers for Prince Harry requested a judge rule in favor of the Duke of Sussex in a defamation case brought against the publisher of Mail on Sunday.

Prince Harry has accused Associated Newspapers Ltd. of libeling him with an article about his legal battle for security in the U.K.

During a hearing at the High Court in London, Harry’s lead attorney asked Judge Matthew Nickin to either strike out the publisher’s defense or to deliver a summary judgment, which would be a ruling in the prince’s favor without going to trial.

Lawyer Justin Rushbrooke said the facts did not support the publisher’s "substantive pleaded defense" that the article expressed an "honest opinion."

PRINCE HARRY REQUESTS TO FUND OWN POLICE SECURITY IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

The article was titled "Exclusive: How Prince Harry tried to keep his legal fight with the government over police bodyguards a secret… then – just minutes after the story broke – his PR machine tried to put a positive spin on the dispute."

Prince Harry claimed Mail on Sunday's implication that the Duke of Sussex lied in his initial statements regarding the security lawsuit libeled him.

In July, Nicklin ruled that the article was defamatory, allowing the case to proceed. The judge has not yet considered issues such as whether the story was accurate or in the public interest.

After Harry and his wife Meghan Markle stepped back from their senior royal roles in 2020, the couple — and their children — lost their publicly funded U.K. security. Prince Harry would like to pay for the security himself, but cannot, unless the U.K. Home Office approves his offer.

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Prince Harry's legal team claimed the Duke's security in the U.S. is not capable of proving the necessary protection needed in the U.K., where the threat is higher.

"The Duke and Duchess of Sussex personally fund a private security team for their family, yet that security cannot replicate the necessary police protection needed whilst in the UK. In the absence of such protection, Prince Harry and his family are unable to return to his home," a legal spokesperson previously said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

This is not the first lawsuit the royal couple has brought against Mail on Sunday publisher Associated Newspapers Ltd. Markle previously won her invasion-of-privacy lawsuit in December 2021 after the outlet published a letter the "Suits" actress sent to her estranged father.

Harry wrote about the media's treatment of his family in his memoir "Spare." He also blamed Princess Diana's tragic death on the media.

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While Prince Harry's lawyers were in court, Prince William and wife Kate Middleton made an appearance at a St. Patrick's Day parade. Middleton became the new Colonel of the Irish Guards after Prince William was given the Colonel of the Welsh Guards by King Charles III.

"I really couldn't be prouder to stand in front of you here today," Middleton said during a speech, according to People magazine. "It really is a true honor to be your Colonel. I am here to listen to you, to support you, and to champion you in all you do — this is a responsibility I do not take lightly."

"I look forward to spending more time with you and your families, seeing your commitment to duty and service in all you do. Before I close, however, I want to thank Colonel William. He has always talked about his fierce pride for this Regiment. I know he will continue to support us all in the work we do," the princess added. "Finally, I would like to wish you all, a very happy St. Patrick's Day."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.