Rebekah Vardy Agrees to Pay £1.2m of Coleen Rooney’s Legal Fees in Wagatha Christie Libel Case
The long-running libel battle between Coleen Rooney and Rebekah Vardy has taken a significant step towards its conclusion, with Vardy agreeing to pay almost £1.2m of Rooney’s legal costs. According to a report from The Guardian, the two parties have reached a "commercial agreement" on the majority of the costs, with Vardy still resisting payment of a further £300,000.
The Wagatha Christie libel case, which has been ongoing since 2019, began when Coleen Rooney, the wife of former England striker Wayne Rooney, accused Rebekah Vardy, the wife of Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy, of leaking her private information to the press on social media. A judge previously found that Rooney’s claim was "substantially true". As reported by The Guardian, Rooney’s total legal bill came out to be £1,833,906.89, of which Vardy has agreed to pay £1,190,000, including £65,000 in interest.
In a hearing on Tuesday, Vardy’s barrister, Juliet Wells, revealed that the two parties had come to an agreement on the majority of the costs. However, Jamie Carpenter KC, also representing Vardy, argued that Rooney’s legal bill included "over £120,000 of costs to which Mrs Rooney has no entitlement". Specifically, he cited costs incurred by a lawyer staying at the Nobu hotel, including substantial dinner and drinks charges as well as minibar charges. As The Guardian reported, Robin Dunne, representing Rooney, countered that the solicitor had not booked the Nobu hotel, but was instead offered a room there by Vardy’s agent at a preferential rate.
Dunne also disputed the claim that the minibar tab was excessive, stating that it totalled just £7 and included two bottles of water. In written submissions, he argued that it was "unreasonable" for Vardy to claim that Rooney’s costs were excessive, given that much of the expense was caused directly by Vardy’s conduct. As The Guardian noted, the two sides have now reached a "commercial accommodation" on the main sum, leaving only Rooney’s claim for "assessment costs" to be determined.
The full amount of the assessment costs will be determined at a hearing before costs judge Mark Whalan. Vardy’s barrister, Juliet Wells, has requested that these costs be capped at "no more than £100,000". Although neither Vardy nor Rooney attended the remote hearing, Whalan stated that he was "pleased" that the two sides had come to a "commercial accommodation" on the main sum.
The conclusion of this libel case marks a significant development in the ongoing saga between the two women. According to The Guardian, the case has already resulted in a judge finding in favour of Rooney, and now Vardy has agreed to pay a substantial portion of her legal costs. The final determination of the assessment costs will bring the case to a close, but for now, it remains a significant news story.
Further updates on this story will be provided as more information becomes available.
