Prince Harry Settles Case Against The Sun Publisher After Protracted Legal Battle

In a landmark settlement, Rupert Murdoch’s UK tabloid empire has issued a rare public apology to Prince Harry and agreed to pay him substantial damages, marking a significant victory in his long-running privacy invasion lawsuit. The settlement was announced on Wednesday in London’s High Court.

This marks the first time that News Group Newspapers (NGN), the publisher of The Sun, has admitted to any wrongdoing, particularly in relation to Harry’s privacy. In a statement read in court by Harry’s lawyer, David Sherborne, NGN issued a “full and unequivocal apology” for the serious intrusion into the Duke of Sussex’s private life, including unlawful activities carried out by private investigators working for The Sun between 1996 and 2011.

The statement also acknowledged phone hacking, surveillance, and the misuse of private information by journalists and private investigators, practices that had long been denied by the publisher. In a significant move, NGN went beyond Harry’s lawsuit to also apologize for its intrusion into the life of Princess Diana, Harry’s late mother.

“We acknowledge and apologize for the distress caused to the duke, and the damage inflicted on relationships, friendships, and family, and have agreed to pay him substantial damages,” the statement read.

This settlement came just as Prince Harry’s case against NGN—which focused on The Sun and the now-defunct News of the World—was set to go to trial. Harry, alongside former Labour MP Tom Watson, was one of the last remaining claimants in a case that initially involved over 1,300 people who had settled similar lawsuits against the publisher. This legal battle had been closely watched, being the closest to trial since the infamous 2011 phone-hacking scandal, which resulted in the closure of News of the World after revelations that the tabloid had hacked the phone of 13-year-old murder victim Milly Dowler.

The negotiations for the settlement intensified on Tuesday as the trial was about to begin, and by Wednesday, the deal was finalized.

Prince Harry’s relationship with the British tabloids has long been contentious. His private struggles, relationships, and even past drug use have been subject to constant media scrutiny. However, Harry’s grievances extend beyond personal exposure; he has repeatedly blamed the press for the 1997 death of his mother, Princess Diana, who died in a car crash while being chased by paparazzi in Paris. More recently, Harry has accused the tabloids of relentless attacks on his wife, Meghan Markle, which he says contributed to their decision to step back from royal duties and relocate to the U.S. in 2020.

This case has also caused tensions within the royal family. In the 2023 documentary ‘Tabloids On Trial’, Harry revealed that his father, King Charles III, had opposed his lawsuit, and that his brother, Prince William, had privately settled a similar complaint against NGN for over £1 million ($1.23 million).

Harry’s legal battle against the press doesn’t end here. He has filed three lawsuits against British tabloids over privacy violations, including a victory last year in his case against The Mirror’s publisher, which the judge ruled had engaged in “widespread and habitual” phone hacking. His third case, against The Daily Mail’s publisher, is set to go to trial next year, raising questions about whether this settlement will influence its outcome.

For now, Prince Harry has secured a rare apology from The Sun, a significant financial settlement, and a public acknowledgment of wrongdoing, marking a pivotal win in his ongoing legal battle with the British press.