Prince Harry has won a “monumental” victory over Rupert Murdoch’s British newspaper group after the publisher settled its legal battle and made a rare apology.
For the first time, News Group Newspapers admitted to “unlawful activities” at its tabloid The sun while reporting on Harry.
In another stunning admission, NGN said it had also been involved in “serious intrusions” into the private life of Harry’s late mother, Princess Diana.
A source familiar with the settlement said the damages were in the eight-figure range – reportedly $20 million.
“NGN apologizes fully and unequivocally to the Duke of Sussex for the serious intrusion The sun between 1996 and 2011 into his personal life, including incidents of unlawful activity by private investigators working for The sunsaid Harry’s lawyer David Sherborne.
“NGN continues to apologize to the Duke for the impact of the extensive reporting and serious intrusion into his private life and into the private life of Diana, Princess of Wales, his late mother, particularly in his younger years.”
Harry, 40, had sued NGN, publisher of The sun and the now defunct one News of the Worldat the High Court in London.
He claimed The newspapers illegally obtained private information about him between 1996-2011.
“In a monumental victory, News UK today admitted this The sunthe flagship title for Rupert Murdoch’s British media empire, “actually engaged in illegal practices,” said Harry and co-plaintiff Tom Watson.
“Today the lies are exposed. Today the cover-ups are being exposed. And today proves that no one is above the law.
“The time for accountability has come,” said the statement Sherborne read to the Supreme Court.
The trial examining Harry’s case and a similar lawsuit by former senior MP Watson were due to begin on Tuesday (UK time).
But after recent talks, both sides agreed to a settlement, with NGN admitting there had been wrongdoing The sun – after years of denying it.
It also admitted targeting Watson, including when he was a junior minister under then British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who would have testified if the trial had taken place.
In a statement, an NGN spokesman said it apologized for the unlawful actions of private investigators working for NGN The sunnot by his journalists.
“There are strict controls and processes in place across all of our titles today to ensure this cannot happen now. No voicemail listening function has been activated The sun” the spokesman said, adding that the settlement marked the likely end to all lawsuits and that future cases would likely be dismissed.
NGN has paid out hundreds of millions of pounds to victims of phone hacking and other unlawful information gathering News of the Worldand settled more than 1,300 lawsuits between celebrities, politicians, well-known athletes and ordinary people associated with them or major events.
In their joint statement, Harry and Watson said NGN had paid out more than 1 billion pounds ($2 billion) in total.
To date, NGN has always denied any allegations of misconduct The sunor that senior figures knew about it or tried to cover it up, as alleged in Harry’s lawsuit.
Harry had said his mission was to find out the truth and ensure publishers’ executives and editors were held to account after other plaintiffs resolved the cases to avoid the risk of a multi-million pound court case , which could be imposed on them even if they had won. However, the court had rejected NGN’s offer.
Harry’s main target had been Rebekah Brooks, who was The sunDuring part of the time NGN was editor, he admitted there was unlawful conduct and is now chief executive of News UK.
“You now admit when she was editor of The sunThey ran a criminal enterprise,” Harry and Watson’s statement said, adding they wanted police and Parliament to investigate “the perjury and cover-ups.”
However, NGN’s apology contained no direct reference to misconduct by senior figures or allegations of cover-ups by current or former executives.
– with AAP
