In a significant development in the long-running legal saga dubbed the "Wagatha Christie" libel case, Rebekah Vardy has been ordered to pay Coleen Rooney at least £1.4 million in legal costs. This ruling came from a specialist costs court on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, following a high-profile dispute that began back in 2019 when Mrs. Rooney accused Mrs. Vardy of leaking her private information to the press.
The case gained widespread media attention, culminating in a trial at the High Court in 2022, where Mrs. Rooney successfully defended herself against Vardy's claims. Following the trial, the judge ordered Vardy to pay 90% of Rooney's legal costs, which amounted to approximately £1.5 million. This included an initial payment of £800,000.
During Tuesday's hearing, it was revealed that Vardy had agreed to pay £1.19 million of Rooney's legal bill but was also facing a request for an additional £315,000 in assessment costs. Costs Judge Mark Whalan stated it was "reasonable and proportionate" for Vardy to pay an extra £212,266 in assessment costs, bringing the total to at least £1.4 million.
Judge Whalan expressed hope that this ruling would mark the end of a "long and unhappy road" for both parties. He acknowledged the extraordinary expenditure of costs involved in the case and noted that both sides had come to a "commercially satisfactory conclusion".
In her written submissions, Vardy's barrister, Juliet Wells, contended that Rooney's original legal bill of £1.8 million was "substandard" and included costs for press briefings and other expenses to which she had "no entitlement". Wells argued that the bill could have been settled sooner if Rooney had engaged more constructively.
Wells also revealed that Vardy had previously offered to settle the legal bill for £1.1 million, excluding interest and assessment costs, in August 2024, a proposal that was rejected outright by Rooney's camp. She criticized Rooney's approach during negotiations, describing it as "intransigent and frequently belligerent".
On the other hand, Robin Dunne, representing Rooney, asserted that Vardy was "the author of her own misfortune". He claimed that Vardy's conduct had forced Rooney's legal team to incur additional costs due to the "lurid headlines" that emerged from Vardy's camp during the proceedings.
The feud, which has captivated the public, began when Rooney accused Vardy of leaking stories from her private Instagram account. Rooney conducted a "sting operation", posting false stories to see which would appear in the media, ultimately revealing Vardy's alleged involvement. The court later found that Vardy's agent had likely passed information to The Sun, and the judge ruled that Vardy had knowingly condoned this behavior.
As the saga draws to a close, both women, now prominent figures in their own right, seem poised to move on from the bitter dispute. Neither Vardy nor Rooney attended Tuesday's remote hearing, with Judge Whalan stating they could both part ways and put the matter behind them.
In the aftermath of the trial, the financial implications for Vardy have been severe. Initially facing legal costs of around £3 million, the judge's ruling left her reputation and finances in tatters. The public nature of the case and the intense media scrutiny have added to the pressures faced by both women.
As the legal battles continue to unfold, the public remains captivated by the personal and legal drama between these two high-profile figures. The case has not only highlighted issues of privacy and defamation but also the complexities of celebrity culture in the digital age.
The ruling on Tuesday marks another chapter in a story that has been both sensational and revealing, illustrating the lengths to which individuals may go to protect their reputations and the consequences that can ensue.
As Vardy prepares to meet her financial obligations, the hope is that this ruling will finally bring closure to a protracted and public legal battle that has sparked widespread interest and debate.
