JUST IN: Prince Harry Secures Settlement as Murdoch’s UK Tabloids Offer Full Apology
Prince Harry secured a major legal victory against Rupert Murdoch’s News Group Newspapers (NGN) Wednesday, with the media giant offering an “unequivocal apology” and agreeing to pay substantial damages for “unlawful” intrusions into his personal life.
NGN, which owns The Sun, admitted to hiring private investigators who engaged in illicit activities to gather information on the Duke of Sussex. The company also extended its apology to include past invasions of privacy concerning Harry’s late mother, Princess Diana, acknowledging the distress caused by their actions.
“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 company said in its statement.
The settlement, which comes just as the highly anticipated trial was set to begin, spares NGN from weeks of potentially damning testimony about its journalistic tactics.
The deal arrives amid fresh allegations that top Murdoch executives, including Washington Post CEO Will Lewis, a former employee, were involved in efforts to conceal phone hacking crimes at NGN’s British tabloids more than a decade ago. These explosive claims suggest a coordinated effort to suppress damaging evidence of unlawful practices. Lewis, however, was not a defendant in the case and denied any wrongdoing.
NGN has long been embroiled in legal battles over phone hacking, a scandal that culminated in the 2011 closure of its flagship tabloid, News of the World. Despite settling numerous claims, the company has consistently denied any wrongdoing at The Sun. To date, Murdoch’s empire has paid out more than $1.5 billion in settlements to high-profile victims, including actors Hugh Grant and Sienna Miller.
Prince Harry had remained steadfast in his pursuit of accountability, rejecting previous settlement offers. This latest agreement appears to have met his demands for justice.
