Well, every story I hear about libel and slander in the UK makes it appear the legal system there is totally crap. If you have money and you want to keep people quite, you just sue them and then sue them some more.

Why in the world would they even bother with trying to settle a case in the UK anyway, aren't these people Americans? Plus, as noted, the offending part is a duck.

The libel courts in the UK are so bad, several US states refuse to recognize the judgments, and the US congress is working on legislation to that effect as well. Foreign dictators have been "libel vacationing" in the UK to try and shut up US and UK papers who criticize them, as well as bloggers.

So, let Lord Whatshisname try to collect from a duck. What is Arthur's net worth? ;-) Besides, he cannot collect from Sheldon, he's underage. Libel laws do not apply to 10 year old kids, not even in the UK.