Rupert Murdoch’s U.K. tabloids offer a rare apology in a legal settlement with Prince Harry
Published Jan 22, 2025 • 4 minute read
Join the conversation
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex (second from left) and his barrister David Sherborne (right) leave the Royal Courts of Justice, Britain's High Court, in central London on June 7, 2023. Photo by BEN STANSALL /AFP via Getty ImagesReviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page.
LONDON — Rupert Murdoch’s U.K. tabloids made a rare apology to Prince Harry in settling his privacy invasion lawsuit and will pay him a substantial sum, his lawyer announced Wednesday.
Advertisement 2
Story continues below
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Don't have an account? Create Account
or
View more offers
Article content
Article content
Article content
News Group Newspapers offered 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,” attorney David Sherborne read from settlement statement in court.
It was the first time News Group Newspapers has acknowledged wrongdoing at The Sun, a British paper once known for featuring topless women on Page 3.
The statement itself was remarkable in breadth, acknowledging “phone hacking, surveillance and misuse of private information by journalists and private investigators” aimed at Harry, allegations NGN had strongly denied before trial.
Your Midday Sun
Thanks for signing up!
Article content
Advertisement 3
Story continues below
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
The statement even went beyond the scope of the lawsuit to acknowledge intruding on the life of his mother, the late Princess Diana.
“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 settlement statement said.
The bombshell announcement in London’s High Court came as the Duke of Sussex’s trial was about to start against the publishers of The Sun and the now-defunct News of the World for unlawfully snooping on him over decades.
Harry, 40, the younger son of King Charles III, and one other man were the only two remaining claimants out of more than 1,300 others who had settled lawsuits against News Group Newspapers over allegations their phones were hacked and investigators unlawfully intruded in their lives.
Advertisement 4
Story continues below
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
In all the cases that have been brought against the publisher since a widespread phone hacking scandal forced Murdoch to close News of the World in 2011, Harry’s case got the closest to trial.
Murdoch shut down the News of the World after the Guardian reported that the tabloid’s reporters had hacked the phone of Milly Dowler, a murdered 13-year-old schoolgirl, while police were searching for her in 2002.
As the case was about to start Tuesday morning, his lawyer asked for a one-hour recess, then got a longer adjournment and finally asked to have the rest of the day as it became clear a settlement was in the works.
The case was one of three lawsuits Harry has brought accusing British tabloids of violating his privacy by eavesdropping on phone messages or using private investigators to unlawfully help them score scoops.
Advertisement 5
Story continues below
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
His case against the publisher of the Daily Mirror ended in victory when the judge ruled that phone hacking was “widespread and habitual” at the newspaper and its sister publications.
During that trial in 2023, Harry became the first senior member of the Royal Family to testify in court since the late 19th century, putting him at odds with the monarchy’s desire to keep its problems out of view.
His feud with the press dates back to his youth, when the tabloids took glee in reporting on everything from his injuries to his girlfriends to dabbling with drugs.
But his fury with the tabloids goes much deeper.
He blames the media for the death of his mother, Princess Diana, who was killed in a car crash in 1997 while being chased by paparazzi in Paris. He also blames them for the persistent attacks on his wife, actor Meghan Markle, that led them to leave royal life and flee to the U.S. in 2020.
Advertisement 6
Story continues below
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
The litigation has been a source of friction in his family, Harry said in the documentary “Tabloids On Trial.”
He revealed in court papers that his father opposed his lawsuit. He also said his older brother William, Prince of Wales and heir to the throne, had settled a private complaint against News Group that his lawyer has said was worth over 1 million pounds ($1.23 million).
“I’m doing this for my reasons,” Harry told the documentary makers, though he said he wished his family had joined him.
Harry was originally one among dozens of claimants, including actor Hugh Grant, who alleged that News Group journalists and investigators they hired violated their privacy between 1994 and 2016 by intercepting voicemails, tapping phones, bugging cars and using deception to access confidential information.
Of the original group, Harry and Tom Watson, a former Labour Party member of Parliament, were the holdouts headed to trial.
News Group had denied the allegations.
NGN had issued an unreserved apology to victims of voicemail interception by the News of the World and said it settled more than 1,300 claims. The Sun has never accepted liability.
The outcome in the News Group case raises questions about how Harry’s third case — against the publisher of the Daily Mail — will proceed. That trial is scheduled next year.
Article content
Share this article in your social network
TikTok was temporarily taken offline for users across America over the weekend shortly before the federal divest-or-ban law took effect.
Read more >> : Cick here
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Jay-Z’s alleged victim’s lawyer revealed the letter he fired off to the mogul before the legal drama erupted publicly, In Touch can exclusively report.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Four months after Jenna Dewan and Channing Tatum settled their six-year divorce proceedings, the actress—who shares daughter Everly with her Step Up costar—revealed what she’s learned about herself.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Donald Trump has just pardoned Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the infamous Silk Road website.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
See here.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
NEW YORK (AP) — Netflix, Oracle and other technology stocks are lifting U.S. indexes as their profits pile higher and excitement builds around artificial intelligence. The S&P 500 was up 0.5% early Wednesday.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 — Netflix, Oracle and other technology stocks are lifting U.S. indexes as their profits pile higher and excitement builds around artificial intelligence. The S&P 500 was up 0.5% early Wednesday. %23oracle) |
|
|
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/080524-williamkate-e0428e905c0541d3845c6e5a010e3dae.jpg)
Prince William and Kate Middleton's relationship has evolved with them being "more open" with each other after
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/080524-williamkate-e0428e905c0541d3845c6e5a010e3dae.jpg&description=Prince William and Kate Middleton's Relationship Is ) |
|
|
After delaying an official announcement due to the fires, Nine Inch Nails have finally revealed the dates for their 2025 world tour.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Today, police revealed Ian Airlie, 48, was found dead at his home in Greenwich, south-east London, on October 10, nearly a month after the incident.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
The president has reacted after bishop Mariann Edgar Budde pleaded with him to "have mercy upon the people in our country who are scared now" during an interfaith prayer service.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Twitter (X), Inc. was an American social media company based in San Francisco, California, which operated and was named for its flagship social media network prior to its rebrand as X. In addition to Twitter, the company previously operated the Vine short video app and Periscope livestreaming service
Twitter (X) is one of the most popular social media platforms, with over 619 million monthly active users worldwide. One of the most exciting features of Twitter (X) is the ability to see what topics are trending in real-time. Twitter trends are a fascinating way to stay up to date on what people are talking about on the platform, and they can also be a valuable tool for businesses and individuals to stay relevant and informed. In this article, we will discuss Twitter (X) trends, how they work, and how you can use them to your advantage.
What are Twitter (X) Worldwide Trends?
Twitter (X) Worldwide trends are a list of topics that are currently being talked about on the platform and also world. The topics on this list change in real-time and are based on the volume of tweets using a particular hashtag or keyword. Twitter (X) Worldwide trends can be localized to a Worldwide country or region or can be global, depending on the topic's popularity.
How Do Twitter (X) Worldwide Trends Work?
Twitter (X) Worldwide trends are generated by an algorithm that analyzes the volume of tweets using a particular hashtag or keyword. When the algorithm detects a sudden increase in tweets using a specific hashtag or keyword, it considers that topic to be trending.
Once a topic is identified as trending, it is added to the list of Twitter (X) Worldwide trends. The topics on this list are ranked based on their popularity, with the most popular topics appearing at the top of the list.
Twitter (X) Worldwide trends can be filtered by location or category, allowing users to see what topics are trending in their area or in a particular industry. Additionally, users can click on a trending topic to see all of the tweets using that hashtag or keyword.