LONDON, UK – MARCH 30: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, arrives at the Royal Courts of Justice on March 30, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
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Prince Harry reached a settlement with Rupert Murdoch’s British newspaper conglomerate on Wednesday, after Rupert Murdoch’s British newspaper conglomerate admitted for the first time illegal conduct at its Sun tabloid. The intense legal battle ended in dramatic fashion.
King Charles’ youngest son, Harry, 40, scored a stunning victory as News Group News (NGN), publisher of The Sun and the now-defunct News of the World, also admitted it violated his late mother The private life of Princess Diana.
Harry’s lawyer David Sherborne said the publisher had agreed to pay the prince substantial compensation. A source familiar with the settlement said the agreement involves an eight-figure sum.
Harry has been suing NGN at the High Court in London, accusing the newspaper of illegally obtaining his private information from 1996 to 2011.
A trial considering the Crown case and a similar lawsuit brought by former senior British MP Tom Watson was due to begin on Tuesday, but a settlement was reached after last-minute negotiations, with NGN claiming the Sun had engaged in wrongdoing it had alleged for years Deny this.
Sherborne said: “NGN has advised the Duke of Sussex about serious intrusions into the Duke of Sussex’s private life by The Sun between 1996 and 2011, including illegal activities by private investigators working for The Sun. Offer a full and clear apology.
“NGN further apologizes to The Duke for the widespread publicity and serious intrusions into his private life and that of his late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, particularly during his youth.”
accountability
NGN has paid out hundreds of millions of pounds to victims of News of the World phone hacking and other illegal collection of information, and settled more than 1,300 cases involving celebrities, politicians, high-profile sports figures and ordinary people linked to the News of the World. litigation.
But as Harry alleges in the lawsuit, it has always rejected any suggestion that The Sun engaged in wrongdoing, or that anyone high up knew about it or tried to cover it up.
Harry said he was tasked with finding the truth and holding people to account after settlements were reached by other claimants to avoid the risk of millions of pounds in legal bills, which could come even if they win in court but reject NGN’s offer Millions of pounds in legal fees were imposed.
He said he did not settle because he was not suing for money but because he wanted the publisher’s executives and editors to take responsibility and admit their wrongdoing.
