Prince Harry faced a setback in his ongoing legal battle against the mill on Sunday, as a judge dismissed his request for a case to be decided without a public trial.

This latest development comes after Harry was denied a request for a summary judgment on December 8, 2023.

The denial of the summary judgment is a significant blow for Harry, as he had hoped to settle the case without the need for a trial.

The legal dispute stems from a February 2022 article published by Associated Newspapers Limited (A&L), which Harry claims attacked his honesty and integrity.

In March of this year, Harry’s lawyers sought to have the case judged without a trial.

However, the judge ruled against this request, stating that the newspaper should have the opportunity to defend itself.

This means that A&L can now present evidence regarding Harry’s offer to pay for security, potentially exposing the truth about the matter.

With this ruling, Harry now faces the challenge of proving his honesty and integrity.

In fact, recent court documents have revealed that Omid Scobie, a close associate of Harry and his wife, may have been involved as a direct contact or leaker.

This revelation adds another layer of complexity to the trial.

Not only does this loss make Harry’s case more difficult, but it also increases his legal fees and expenses.

Harry had hoped that, as a prince of the realm, he could secure a summary judgment and avoid paying court costs.

However, the judge ruled that A&L had a real chance of demonstrating that statements made on Harry’s behalf were misleading, and that an honest person could have believed Harry was attempting to mislead the public.

The judge firmly rejected Harry’s request for the case to be decided without a public trial and for the defense of honest opinion by the newspaper to be dismissed.

He emphasized that the defense of honest opinion is essential for protecting freedom of expression under English law.

The libel action brought by Harry against A&L centers around an article published in February 2022, which exposed his attempts to keep his legal battle over bodyguards under wraps.

Shortly after the article was published, Harry’s PR team tried to spin the dispute in a positive light.

In a written ruling, the judge highlighted that A&L had a real chance of demonstrating that the suggestions made by Harry’s team in a press statement were inaccurate or incomplete.

The case seems to be unraveling, and Harry may have to bear the brunt of the mounting legal fees, burdening the citizens.

While it is not certain how the trial will unfold, the repeated mention of journalist Omid Scobie raises questions about whether he will have to testify or provide a statement.

Harry’s team denies any association between Scobie and the spinning accusations.

As the legal battle continues, some may wonder if it is in Harry’s best interest to persist with the lawsuit.

Though entertaining to observe, the odds do not appear to be in his favor.

Perhaps dropping the lawsuit would be a more prudent decision.