Coleen Rooney breaks silence after Rebekah Vardy agrees to pay her massive costs from 'Wagatha Christie' case
7 May 2025, 20:31
Coleen Rooney has spoken out for the first time after Rebekah Vardy agreed to pay her legal costs from the pair's high-profile libel case.
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Vardy, 42, was told that she must pay 90% of Coleen's bill following their high-profile libel battle.
Yesterday news emerged she had finally agreed to pay almost £1.2 million of Coleen Rooney's legal costs.
Rooney said on Wednesday: "The ruling yesterday in my favour finally brings this claim to an end, it's a relief and brings closure for my family and I.
Throughout this long process, I am grateful that the judgments have consistently gone my way.
"However, as I have always maintained, this claim did not need to be made or run for as long as it did. The time and money should have been put to better use.
Read more: Coleen Rooney 'entirely successful' in Wagatha Christie case, Judge says
"I want to thank my legal representative, management, friends and family for their guidance and constant support.
"Thanks also to the public and many well-wishers who have been in touch with such kind messages. This episode is not something that I ever wanted in my life.
"However, I am thankful for the way my family and team have dealt with it.
"We look forward to moving on with our lives."
A specialist costs court has previously been told that Mrs Rooney, the wife of former England striker Wayne Rooney, ran up a legal bill totalling more than £1.8 million after she successfully defended Mrs Vardy's High Court claim in 2022.
In written submissions for a hearing on Tuesday, Mrs Vardy's barrister, Juliet Wells, said that Mrs Rooney's total legal bill was £1,833,906.89.
The bill "has now been settled at £1,190,000, being c.£1,125,000 plus interest of c.£65.000".
Ms Wells continued that Mrs Rooney is now claiming "assessment costs" of more than £300,000, which she described as "grossly disproportionate" and should be capped at "no more than £100,000".
The full amount of the assessment costs will be determined at the hearing before Costs Judge Mark Whalan, who said he was "pleased" that the two sides had come to a "commercial accommodation".
Neither Mrs Vardy nor Mrs Rooney attended the remote hearing.
