Prince Harry settled his contentious lawsuit on Wednesday against Rupert Murdoch’s UK tabloid publisher. News Group Newspapers, the publisher, publicly apologized to Harry for hacking his phone and for invading the private life of his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, when she was alive. The company agreed to pay Harry ‘substantial damages.’
This settlement brings to an end a long legal battle, which has involved unlawful practices on the part of NGN’s publications, including The Sun and the defunct News of the World. It stops the case from going to trial.
David Sherborne, Harry’s lawyer, read an apology statement in the High Court, where NGN expressed regret for the ‘serious intrusion’ into Harry’s life, including the use of private investigators by The Sun between 1996 and 2011. The statement also acknowledged “phone hacking, surveillance, and misuse of private information” by News of the World journalists and their hired private investigators.
The apology went further to admit the harm caused to Harry’s relationships and family, as well as the distress that resulted from the unlawful practices. In addition to the public apology, NGN has agreed to pay substantial damages.
This settlement concludes six years of legal proceedings between Harry and NGN. For Harry, the goal has always been ‘accountability,’ and the case now concludes with a public admission of wrongdoing. Alongside Harry, former Labour lawmaker Tom Watson was also awarded damages after being targeted by unlawful surveillance between 2009 and 2011.
