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Rupert Murdoch’s UK Tabloids Apologise To Prince Harry In Privacy Case Settlement  

News Group Newspapers has apologised to Prince Harry, admitting to privacy invasions, including phone hacking, surveillance, misuse of private information.

Rupert Murdoch’s UK tabloid publisher, News Group Newspapers (NGN), has issued a rare apology to Prince Harry and agreed to pay him substantial damages to settle his privacy invasion lawsuit, his lawyer announced Wednesday.  

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, Harry’s attorney, David Sherborne, read from the settlement statement in London’s High Court.  

The statement marked the first time NGN has acknowledged wrongdoing at The Sun, a publication once known for its controversial editorial practices, including featuring topless women on Page 3. 

The settlement statement admitted to “phone hacking, surveillance, and misuse of private information by journalists and private investigators” targeting Harry, allegations that NGN had previously denied.  

In a surprising revelation, the apology extended beyond the scope of the lawsuit to acknowledge intrusion into the life of Harry’s late mother, Princess Diana. 

“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,” the statement said.  

The bombshell announcement came just as Harry’s trial was set to begin against NGN, which publishes The Sun and the now-defunct News of the World. The lawsuit accused the publisher of unlawfully snooping on him for decades.  

Harry, 40, the younger son of King Charles III, and former Labour Party lawmaker Tom Watson were the last remaining claimants out of more than 1,300 individuals who had previously settled cases against NGN over allegations of phone hacking and other privacy violations. 

Harry’s case was significant as it came the closest to trial in the years-long scandal that forced Murdoch to shut down *News of the World* in 2011, following revelations that reporters had hacked the phone of Milly Dowler, a murdered 13-year-old girl, while police were still searching for her.  

As the trial was about to begin on Tuesday, Harry’s lawyer initially requested a one-hour recess, which was extended several times before the court adjourned for the day as settlement discussions unfolded behind closed doors.  

The case was one of three lawsuits Harry has brought against British tabloids, alleging they violated his privacy by intercepting voicemails and hiring private investigators to unlawfully gather information. 

His previous lawsuit against the publisher of the *Daily Mirror* ended in victory, with a judge ruling that phone hacking was “widespread and habitual” within the newspaper group.  

In that 2023 trial, Harry became the first senior royal to testify in court in over a century, openly clashing with the royal family’s preference to keep legal matters private. 

He revealed in court documents that his father, King Charles, opposed his legal action, and disclosed that his older brother, Prince William, had quietly settled a separate phone hacking complaint against NGN for over £1 million ($1.23 million).  

“I’m doing this for my reasons,” Harry said in the documentary Tabloids on Trial, though he expressed regret that his family did not support him in the legal battle.  

Harry’s grievances with the media date back to his youth, with tabloid coverage focusing on his personal life, from his injuries and relationships to reports of drug use. 

However, his anger deepened over time, particularly following the relentless media pursuit that he believes led to the death of his mother, Princess Diana, in a 1997 car crash in Paris while being chased by paparazzi. 

He has also blamed the press for the negative scrutiny of his wife, Meghan Markle, which contributed to their decision to step down from royal duties and move to the United States in 2020.  

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