Prince Harry Settles Lawsuit With News Corp Over Phone Hacking Scandal

The agreement comprises a publicly disclosed eight-figure payment and a formal apology for the unlawful surveillance carried out by British tabloids.

Prince Harry has settled his lawsuit against Rupert Murdoch's News Group Newspapers (NGN) over illegal phone hacking by British tabloids The Sun and the now-defunct News of the World from 1996 to 2011. This agreement, reached just before the case was due to go to trial, includes a significant, undisclosed eight-figure compensation and a public apology from the company.

In a statement by Prince Harry’s lawyer, David Sherborne, NGN offered a "full and unreserved apology to the Duke of Sussex." This case is part of a broader scandal involving unauthorized surveillance by Murdoch-owned tabloids, resulting in over 1,300 lawsuits against NGN, with total compensation exceeding 1.3 billion dollars before this latest deal.

Former UK Labour Party deputy leader Tom Watson, another prominent claimant, is also involved in the settlement.

This marks the first time NGN has directly acknowledged fault for its actions.

The apology followed claims that the company used more than 100 private investigators over 16 years to carry out over 35,000 incidents of illegal surveillance, with the knowledge of senior editors and executives.

This settlement adds to similar agreements reached in recent years.

Prince William, Harry's brother, reportedly settled with NGN for a seven-figure sum in 2020, and British actor Hugh Grant resolved his legal battle last year.

In a statement on social media, Grant remarked on the settlement, saying, "As is typical with innocent parties, they offered me a massive sum of money to avoid going to court."

Prince Harry has previously described his goal to reform the British media's treatment of public figures as a "life mission." He has criticized the tabloid press for invasive practices and expressed his commitment to holding media organizations accountable, irrespective of the financial cost.

However, his decision to settle surprised some observers.

Legal experts noted that declining the settlement could have exposed Harry to substantial legal expenses, potentially more than one million dollars per week during the trial.

The phone hacking scandal has had significant impacts on NGN.

The revelation of unethical practices led to the closure of News of the World in 2011 and sparked widespread scrutiny of media ethics in the UK. Despite the settlement, the controversy continues to impact Murdoch’s media empire, emphasizing ongoing tensions between public figures and the press in the quest for accountability.