The Duke of Sussex has received a full apology and substantial damages from the publisher of The Sun for “serious intrusion” into his private life.
Harry and former Labour deputy leader Tom Watson brought legal action against News Group Newspapers (NGN) over allegations of unlawful information gathering by journalists and private investigators between 1996 to 2011.
NGN, which also ran the now-defunct News Of The World, had denied any unlawful activity took place at The Sun.
However, in a statement it said there had been “serious intrusion” including “incidents of unlawful activities” which it acknowledged had inflicted “damage” to “relationships, friendships and family”.
An up to 10-week trial was set to begin at the High Court in London on Tuesday, but three requests for adjournments and a Court of Appeal bid meant the case remained unopened.
On Wednesday morning, Harry’s barrister David Sherborne said the parties had “reached an agreement” and that NGN had offered an apology to the 40-year-old and would pay “substantial damages”.
The settlement is worth more than £10m, mostly in legal fees, a source familiar with the deal told news agency Reuters.
Lord Watson was also taking legal action against the publisher, but also settled his claim.
He called for NGN’s owner Rupert Murdoch to make a “personal apology” to the Duke of Sussex and to the King.
NGN said its agreements with Harry and Lord Watson “draws a line under the past” and “brings an end to this litigation”.
Outside the court, Mr Sherborne said it was a “monumental victory” and accused newspaper executives of running a “criminal enterprise” – and praised Harry and Lord Watson for showing “sheer resilience”.
‘Serious intrusion by The Sun’
In a statement read out in court, NGN offered Harry a “full and unequivocal apology” for the “serious intrusion by The Sun between 1996 and 2011 into his private life”.
It said these included “incidents of unlawful activities” carried out by private investigators working for The Sun.
NGN also apologised for the “phone hacking, surveillance and misuse of private information by journalists and private investigators” at the News Of The World.
In a lengthy statement, NGN apologised for the impact on Harry of the “extensive coverage and serious intrusion” into the private life of his late mother Diana, “in particular during his younger years”.
“We acknowledge and apologise for the distress caused to the duke, and the damage inflicted on relationships, friendships and family, and have agreed to pay him substantial damages,” NGN added.
Apology for placing Lord Watson ‘under surveillance’
NGN also offered Lord Watson a “full and unequivocal apology” for the “unwarranted intrusion carried out into his private life during his time in government” by the News Of The World during the 2009-2011 period.
“This includes him being placed under surveillance in 2009 by journalists at the News Of The World and those instructed by them,” it added.
“NGN also acknowledges and apologises for the adverse impact this had on Lord Watson’s family and has agreed to pay him substantial damages.”
NGN said information received in 2011 that details were being “passed covertly to Lord Watson from within News International” was “false” and apologised.
‘They ran a criminal enterprise’
Mr Sherborne said Harry’s victory proves “no one stands above the law” and NGN had shown “blatant disregard for the law”.
He said more than 100 private investigators had been “engaged” by NGN over at least 16 years on more than 35,000 occasions to intrude into the prince’s private life.
