Prince Harry’s legal battle against News Group Newspapers (NGN), the publisher of The Sun, concluded with a settlement before the trial commenced. The Duke of Sussex had accused the tabloid of illegal information gathering, including phone hacking and unlawful surveillance, spanning from 1996 to 2011.
The settlement was reached on January 22nd, 2025, at the Royal Courts of Justice in London, just a day after the trial was initially scheduled to begin. Private settlement discussions caused the delay. Harry was one of the few claimants who had refused previous settlements from NGN, standing firm in his pursuit of accountability. He was prepared to testify alongside former Labour MP Tom Watson, but ultimately, the case was resolved outside of court.
While NGN denied any wrongdoing, they issued a statement acknowledging the “serious intrusion” into Harry’s private life and offered “a full and unequivocal apology.” The statement also extended an apology for the impact of extensive media coverage on both Prince Harry and his late mother, Princess Diana. NGN agreed to pay substantial damages to both Prince Harry and Lord Watson.
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The settlement followed a day of intense negotiations. The apology covered not only the alleged intrusion by The Sun but also phone hacking and misuse of private information by journalists and private investigators working for the now-defunct News of the World. The financial terms of the settlement were not disclosed, but it’s been reported that the damages paid to Harry were “substantial.”
In December 2024, during a conversation with a New York Times columnist, Harry stated that holding those responsible accountable was his primary motivation for pursuing the case, acknowledging that the legal costs would likely surpass any potential settlement. He believed he was uniquely positioned to achieve this accountability.
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Other high-profile figures, including actor Hugh Grant, had previously settled with NGN over similar allegations. Grant publicly stated that the potential legal costs, exceeding $10 million even in a successful case, influenced his decision to settle. He expressed his desire to have the allegations tested in court but acknowledged the financial risks involved in proceeding to trial. NGN maintained their innocence in Grant’s case and stated that the settlement was mutually beneficial to avoid a costly trial.
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The settlement marks the end of a lengthy legal battle for Prince Harry and underscores the ongoing debate surrounding media ethics and the privacy of public figures. The substantial damages awarded to both Harry and Lord Watson signal the seriousness of the alleged intrusions into their private lives.
