(Source: Reuters) – Prince Harry has claimed victory in his long-running legal battle against Rupert Murdoch’s British newspaper group, News Group Newspapers (NGN), after reaching a settlement that includes an apology for unlawful actions related to The Sun newspaper for the first time.
The lawsuit involved allegations of unlawful activities carried out by journalists and private investigators working for NGN’s newspapers, The Sun and the now-defunct News of the World, from 1996 to 2011. Prince Harry and former British lawmaker Tom Watson were the only two claimants left to go to trial, following settlements with other high-profile individuals, including actor Hugh Grant.
NGN, which is owned by News Corp, has already settled claims from over 1,300 people, including celebrities, politicians, and sports figures. While the publisher closed News of the World in 2011 after the phone-hacking scandal, it had consistently denied any unlawful activities at The Sun until now. The settlement only acknowledges the use of private investigators, not journalists’ involvement in unlawful acts, but Harry’s legal team sees it as a victory for those who had already settled.
In a joint statement, Harry and Watson confirmed that NGN had now paid out more than £1 billion in settlements.
The phone-hacking scandal first emerged in 2006 when the royal editor of News of the World and a private investigator were arrested for illegally intercepting voicemails. Both pleaded guilty and were jailed in 2007. Further revelations in 2011 exposed that a murdered schoolgirl’s phone was targeted, leading to the closure of News of the World.
The scandal prompted a public inquiry into the ethics of the British press and a criminal trial, which saw former News of the World editor Andy Coulson convicted of phone-hacking conspiracy and jailed in 2014. Rebekah Brooks, the former editor of both News of the World and The Sun, was acquitted and later returned to Murdoch’s publishing empire, where she now leads News UK.
Prince Harry’s legal team has hailed the settlement as a significant victory, as NGN has admitted unlawful activity at The Sun for the first time. Previously, the publisher had denied any wrongdoing. However, the deal also prevents an extensive trial that could have led to negative headlines and the exposure of more evidence. NGN stated that the agreement “draws a line under the past” and brings an end to the litigation.
While the settlement is a win for Harry and Watson, they plan to focus on pressuring politicians and law enforcement to revisit the phone-hacking scandal. Watson has called on Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Metropolitan Police chief Mark Rowley to take action, promising to provide police with a “dossier exposing wrongdoing.”
This case is just one of three major lawsuits Prince Harry has filed against British media organizations. In 2023, he won a substantial damages payout after successfully suing Mirror Group Newspapers. He is also suing the publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday, with a trial set for 2026.
