UK: Prince Harry Loses Daily Mail Privacy Case
Is this a vindication of legitimate journalism or does a lack of evidence simply not equal innocence?
Above: Prince Harry arrives at Chatham House in London on July 7. Image credit: Justin Tallis/AFP/Getty Images
The Spin
Narrative A
The High Court's dismissal of all 97 claims against the Daily Mail is a total vindication of legitimate journalism and a broader victory for a free Press generally. A case built on conjecture, convicted fraudsters and decades-old allegations was never going to hold up, and it didn't. Spending over £50 million to prove nothing is the real scandal here.
Narrative B
Victories in historical cases against Mirror Group and settlements with The Sun concerning nearly identical behavior prove that this judgment's emphasis on "faded memories" completely contradicts recent legal precedent. Despite this, there is some respite that an alleged lack of surviving evidence is not the same as innocence, and ANL's reputation will forever be damaged by its trespasses.
