Prince Harry has won a settlement in excess of $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 long 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.
David Sherborne, Prince Harry’s lawyer, stated, “In a monumental victory today, News UK has admitted that The Sun, the flagship title for Rupert Murdoch’s U.K. media empire, has indeed engaged in illegal practices. This represents a vindication for the hundreds of other claimants who were strong-armed 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.
“NGN unlawfully engaged more than 100 private investigators over at least 16 years on more than 35,000 occasions. This happened as much at The Sun as it did at the News of the World, with the knowledge of all the editors and executives, going to the very top of the company,” Sherborne said.
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 powerful 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.
Sherborne acknowledged the personal toll the legal battle has taken on Harry and his family, stating, “As a direct result of him taking a stand, Prince Harry and his immediate family have also had to repeatedly withstand aggressive and vengeful coverage since starting his claim over five years ago.”
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, saying, “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 the period 1996-2011.”
Though the settlement did not include an apology from named senior executives at the company and newspaper during the period of the allegations, NGN expressed that the agreement “draws a line under the past” and that “strong controls and processes” are now implemented at its publications to prevent similar occurrences. Buckingham Palace chose not to comment on the ruling.