Sun owner to pay Prince Harry ‘substantial’ damages

The publisher of The Sun newspaper has agreed to pay “substantial damages” and issued an apology to Prince Harry in a settlement that ends a prolonged legal dispute over claims of unlawful invasion of his privacy. The case focused on allegations that journalists and private investigators employed by News Group Newspapers (NGN) used illegal methods to pry into the Duke of Sussex’s personal life. The prince further claimed that senior executives at NGN had covered up these activities.

NGN admitted in a court statement that its staff engaged in “serious intrusion” into Prince Harry’s life between 1996 and 2011. The publisher also acknowledged that unlawful activities were carried out by private investigators working for The Sun during this period, which caused significant distress to the prince. NGN also expressed regret for the impact its actions had on the late Princess Diana, Harry’s mother, particularly the “extensive coverage” and “serious intrusion” into her private life.

The settlement is part of a broader pattern of legal actions against NGN, which has paid out more than £10 million to settle claims from Prince Harry and former Labour deputy leader Lord Tom Watson, including legal costs. Over the years, NGN has spent over £1 billion to resolve lawsuits from victims of phone hacking and other privacy violations tied to its publications, including News of the World and The Sun. When Prince Harry first launched his legal action, he claimed that more than 200 articles published by NGN between 1996 and 2011 were based on information obtained through illegal methods.

Prince Harry had initially sought to take the case to trial to hold NGN accountable, not only for himself but also for other victims of unlawful newsgathering. However, sources close to the situation indicated that NGN was caught off guard by the prince’s recent willingness to settle the case. In response, a representative for Harry described the apology as “providing all the insight you need.” His lawyer, David Sherborne, hailed the settlement as a “monumental victory,” emphasizing that NGN had been “finally held to account” for its illegal actions.

Lord Watson, whose phone was allegedly targeted while investigating Rupert Murdoch’s newspapers, also received an apology from NGN. The publisher admitted that Watson had been subjected to surveillance and other privacy breaches by staff at The News of the World.

NGN’s apology statement declared that the settlement “draws a line under the past” and concluded the litigation. It further clarified that Watson’s phone was not hacked between 2009 and 2011, arguing that following security upgrades by telecoms companies, phone hacking became nearly impossible after 2007. The statement acknowledged unlawful activities carried out by private investigators working for The Sun from 1996-2011, but it distanced itself from involvement by journalists.

The apology to Prince Harry was particularly significant because it involved specific recognition of the actions at The Sun, which had previously been denied by NGN in relation to the prince’s broader claims of a corporate cover-up. While NGN had already apologized for the illegal activities of News of the World staff, it had denied similar allegations involving The Sun and its senior executives. However, NGN did concede that its handling of the phone-hacking arrests in 2006 was “regrettable.”

This settlement spares NGN from an extended court trial, where damaging allegations, such as the claim that senior executives deliberately obstructed justice by deleting emails, might have been revealed. NGN strongly denied these allegations. The court will no longer examine accusations that executives were involved in covering up evidence related to the scandal, nor will it explore the level of press intrusion into the royal family or the UK government.

After the announcement, Princess Diana’s brother, Earl Spencer, praised Prince Harry’s efforts in securing an apology for their mother, stating that she would be “incredibly touched” and proud. Meanwhile, former Sun editor Kelvin MacKenzie commented that the case could have been disastrous for NGN if its CEO, Rebekah Brooks, had been called to testify.

In a statement, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy called the settlement a “significant day” for the claimants. While she noted that a second Leveson inquiry into press practices might not be “fit for purpose,” she also mentioned that the Hacked Off campaign group, representing victims of phone hacking, would be briefing the government on potential reforms to safeguard privacy while maintaining a free press.

Prince Harry has long been critical of the tabloid press, suggesting it played a role in his mother’s death. In recent years, he has described how the press was central to the breakdown of his relationship with the rest of the royal family. This settlement follows another case he brought against Mirror Group Newspapers, alleging similar unlawful behavior from 1996 to 2010.

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