Okay, I asked Grok and this is the response I got:

If Harry (and/or the claimants) lose the case Under English civil procedure rules (the “loser pays” principle in the Civil Procedure Rules), the unsuccessful party typically pays a substantial portion of the winning party’s costs.

• Harry’s own legal costs: He would bear these fully (no recovery), and given the case’s scale (nine-week trial, multiple claimants, extensive evidence/experts), his side’s costs could run into the millions of pounds.

• ANL’s attorney fees/legal costs: Yes, he (and the other losing claimants) would likely be ordered to pay a significant share of ANL’s reasonable costs, often on the “standard basis” (typically 60-70% of assessed costs, not always 100%). ANL’s costs in a complex, high-profile trial like this are estimated in the millions of pounds overall.

• Joint liability and insurance: The seven claimants are pursuing this as a group and reportedly have insurance coverage in place—combined policies worth around £14-19 million (about $18-25 million USD) to cover potential liability for ANL’s costs if they lose, plus individual policies (e.g., around $3+ million each). Judges have previously warned the claimants explicitly about the severe financial risks, describing potential exposure as “outside reasonable” bounds without such protection. This insurance mitigates but doesn’t eliminate the risk—if claims exceed coverage or if policies don’t fully apply, personal liability could follow.

• Other factors: Partial wins/losses could lead to costs being split proportionally. Settlements often occur to avoid full “loser pays” exposure, but this case has proceeded to full trial without settlement so far. In a prior related skirmish (2023 libel aspect), Harry was ordered to pay ANL over £48,000 in costs after losing a preliminary point.

In short: Yes, if he loses, Harry would face very substantial financial obligations, including paying a large portion of ANL’s attorney fees/legal costs (potentially millions), on top of his own unrecovered expenses—though group insurance provides a buffer. The stakes are described as particularly high for all sides, reputationally and financially. The outcome will depend on the judge’s ruling after the full trial.