Prince Harry’s ongoing legal battle against the Merrick Group’s newspaper took an unexpected turn as Justice Fancourt denied his lawyers’ request for nearly £2 million in legal fees.

This comes after Harry was awarded £40,000 in compensation last December, when it was ruled that 15 out of the 33 articles presented in court were a result of phone hacking or illegal information gathering.

Although the compensation was a victory, it only represented a small fraction of the amount Harry had hoped for.

With several lawsuits pending against tabloid publishers, his case against the Merrick Group is just one of many battles he is fighting.

Despite this setback, Harry remains determined to pursue a career in tabloid journalism, referring to himself as a “dragon slayer.”

Interestingly, Harry recently dropped a libel case against the publisher of the Daily Mail due to an adverse pre-trial ruling.

The judge concluded that 15 of the 33 articles selected for inspection in court were also a result of phone hacking or illegal information gathering.

Consequently, Harry was awarded £40,000 in damages in December 2023, which fell significantly short of his initial claim.

The hearing on Monday focused on the legal fees for a trial involving Harry and three other plaintiffs, including members of the cast of Coronation Street.

While the judge acknowledged that the privacy rights of all four plaintiffs had been violated, he dismissed the lawsuits filed by actor Nicky Sanderson and comedian Fiona Paul’s ex-wife due to their untimely filing.

Actor Michael Turner, however, was awarded £31,000.

David Sherborn, Harry’s lawyer, argued that their case had been overwhelmingly successful and insisted that his clients deserved to be repaid.

He even hinted that the Duke would be willing to return to the witness stand if necessary.

On the other hand, attorney Roger Milla contended that his clients should only be responsible for paying legal fees related to specific parts of the claim.

The final ruling on this matter is yet to be announced.

It is worth noting that Harry claims his privacy was violated in more than 148 articles.

Sherborn requested a trial for the remaining 115 counts, while MGM, the defendant, revealed in court documents that they had made a settlement offer to Prince Harry, the details of which remain undisclosed.

As news of the denied legal fees spread, some royal fans criticized Harry, accusing him of being delusional and jealous of his brother, Prince William.

They pointed out that William was awarded $1 million in damages, which he generously donated to Harry’s charity.

This amount was almost 20 times greater than what Harry received, leading to his demand for double compensation.

One disgruntled fan expressed their frustration, stating that Harry’s actions reflected his greed and narrow-mindedness.

They argued that he and his wife behaved like trash and deserved to be treated accordingly.

Another person speculated that Harry’s lawyers were aware of his mental state and were trying to extract as much money as possible from him, especially considering the timing of the letter requesting payment on a Sunday.

They believed that King Charles would not step in to cover the costs if Harry lost the case.

In contrast, another individual suggested that Harry’s lawyers were simply seeking their rightful payment and might even resort to suing him if necessary.

They predicted that Harry would counter-sue, claiming emotional distress.