Prince Harry has shockingly reached a settlement in his legal battle against Rupert Murdoch-owned The Sun.
The settlement, reportedly in eight figures, was over his accusations that the company obtained private information about him for nearly two decades using illegal methods.
Prince Harry’s lawyer, David Sherborne, has also called for the authorities to investigate News Group Newspapers, the parent company.
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A Settlement Was Reached Before The Trial
According to People Magazine, Prince Harry has come into a huge sum of money after shockingly settling his brutal legal battle against the publisher of the U.K. newspaper The Sun.
The former senior royal first filed his suit against News Group Newspapers (NGN) in 2019, claiming that the company, via their news outlet and the now-defunct News of the World, committed illegal acts to obtain private information about him from 1996 to 2011.
These acts include the use of journalists and private investigators who were paid by the company.
Following the legal action, there have been numerous back-and-forths in court. However, just before a trial in London was set to begin to decide the case, a settlement was reached.
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The exact amount remains uncertain, although it is believed to be around eight figures and likely exceeds $12 million. Other details of the settlement remain unknown at this time.
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Prince Harry Was Offered An Apology
Alongside reaching a settlement with the Spare author to pay him to pay him “substantial damages,” NGN also tendered an analogy to him.
They admitted to being guilty of the accusation, a turnaround from their previous stance of denying any wrongdoing.
“NGN offers a full and unequivocal apology to the Duke of Sussex for the serious intrusion by The Sun between 1996 and 2011 into his private life, including incidents of unlawful activities carried out by private investigators working for The Sun,” read a statement from the company.
It further read, “NGN also offers a full and unequivocal apology to the Duke of Sussex for the phone hacking, surveillance and misuse of private information by journalists and private investigators instructed by them at the News of the World.”
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The company also apologized for “the impact on him of the extensive coverage and serious intrusion into his private life,” including that of his mother, Diana, the late Princess of Wales.
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Prince Harry’s Lawyer Wants The Authorities To Investigate The Company
In a statement to the press about the legal win, Prince Harry’s lawyer, David Sherborne, called for NGN to be investigated by the police, having admitted to their guilt.
“The rule of law must now run its full course. Prince Harry and Tom Watson join others in calling for the police and Parliament to investigate not only the unlawful activity now finally admitted, but the perjury and cover-ups along the way,” Sherborne said.
He continued, “It’s clear now this has occurred throughout this process, including through sworn evidence in inquiries and court hearings, and in testimony to Parliament, until today’s final collapse of NGN’s defense. Today the lies are laid bare. Today, the cover-ups are exposed. And today proves that no one stands above the law. The time for accountability has arrived.”
Sherborne also mentioned that winning the case was “achieved only through the sheer resilience” of Prince Harry and his co-claimant, former Labour Member of Parliament Tom Watson, noting how they were willing to take NGN all the way to trial.
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Prince Harry Is Still Involved In Other Suits Against The Press
Harry remains embroiled in a suit against Associated Newspapers (ANL) and is one of many stars who have accused the tabloids of alleged privacy breaches.
In his suit, the Duke of Sussex accused the paper of using methods such as hiring private investigators, tapping phone calls, and impersonating individuals to obtain medical information for their articles about him.
It was also noted that the alleged acts occurred between 1993 and 2011, with some carried out as late as 2018.
The Duke Dropped His Libel Claim
While a trial for the case could be held in 2026, the one for his libel case is no longer possible after he dropped the claim last year.
At the time, his team filed a notice of discontinuance hours before the deadline to submit a list of documents and did not reveal why they chose to withdraw the case.
Away from his battles with the U.K. tabloids, Harry still has other matters to settle, including his issue with security after he and his wife were stripped of their royal protection when they stepped down as working royals.