Prince Harry has won a settlement over $12 million from News Group Newspapers (NGN) in a legal dispute over unlawful data gathering by The Sun newspaper and the now-closed News of the World.
On January 22, 2025, a settlement was reached after lengthy discussions that postponed the commencement of the anticipated six-week trial in London, England. This is the first instance that NGN has confessed to illegal activities at The Sun.
According to Prince Harry’s attorney David Sherborne, News U.K. admitted illegal practices at The Sun newspaper, a key publication in Rupert Murdoch’s media organization. This marks a significant development in media accountability.
This represents a vindication for the hundreds of other strong-armed claimants into settling, without being able to get to the truth of what was done to them,” while addressing the media outside the High Court in London.
The controversy first gained public notice in 2006 and resulted in the closure of the News of the World in 2011. Since then, NGN has paid around $1.27 billion in claims to more than 1,300 individuals, including well-known celebrities, politicians, and athletes.
Over a 16-year span, NGN illegally deployed more than 100 private investigators in excess of 35,000 times. According to Sherborne, this practice was equally prevalent at both The Sun and News of the World publications, with full awareness from editors and top company leadership.
This settlement follows a few months after Murdoch’s media empire paid $787.5 million in a defamation lawsuit settlement against Fox News over accusations related to the 2020 U.S. presidential election.
Tom Watson, the former deputy leader of the Labour Party and Harry’s co-claimant, praised the prince’s unwavering persistence, stressing his courage and exceptional bravery in calling a robust media sector to account. Watson underscored that many victims are probably deeply thankful for Harry’s firm support and tenacity, especially considering the significant pressure he faced.
As his lawyer notes, the legal proceedings have deeply affected Prince Harry and his household: “…Prince Harry and his immediate family have also had to repeatedly withstand aggressive and vengeful coverage since starting his claim over five years ago.” This statement from Sherborne emphasizes how Harry’s decision to take legal action has resulted in continued media hostility.
In February 2024, Harry won a previous legal victory against Mirror Group Newspapers, where he became the first British royal in over a century to testify in court. The Mirror Group agreed to pay him legal costs and undisclosed damages in December 2023.
NGN clarified its stance: “Today, our apology to the Duke of Sussex includes an apology for incidents of unlawful activities carried out by private investigators working for The Sun, not by Sun journalists, during 1996-2011.”
Though the settlement did not include an apology from named senior executives at the company and newspaper during the allegations, NGN expressed that the agreement “draws a line under the past” and that “strong controls and processes” are now implemented at its publication.*