Prince Harry has secured a significant legal victory against Rupert Murdoch's News Group Newspapers , the publisher of The Sun. The settlement, announced in January 2025, marks the first time NGN has admitted to unlawful actions at The Sun, including phone hacking and other privacy violations. The publisher issued a public apology for the serious intrusion into Harry's private life and agreed to a substantial damages payment, reportedly over £10 million, primarily covering legal fees.
The lawsuit, initiated by Prince Harry, accused NGN of illegally obtaining private information about him from 1996 to 2011 and intruding into the private life of his late mother, Princess Diana. This settlement is seen as a significant victory for Harry, who has been actively pursuing legal actions against various media outlets for similar privacy breaches. The case against NGN was one of three major lawsuits Harry has pursued against British media, including successful litigation against Mirror Group Newspapers and pending action against the publisher of the Daily Mail.
The phone-hacking scandal, which emerged in 2006, led to arrests and the closure of News of the World in 2011. NGN has settled claims from over 1,300 individuals, with total payouts exceeding £1 billion. The publisher's admission of unlawful activity at The Sun is a significant development, as it avoids a potentially damaging trial and may prompt further scrutiny of media practices in the UK.
Prince Harry's legal team has indicated plans to pressure politicians and police to revisit the broader phone-hacking scandal, aiming to hold media organizations accountable for past actions. The settlement with NGN is viewed as a step towards greater transparency and accountability within the media industry. While NGN has admitted to unlawful actions, it maintains that there was no senior-level cover-up, a point that may be further examined in future legal proceedings.
This case underscores the ongoing challenges celebrities face in protecting their privacy against intrusive media practices. The outcome may influence future legal actions and policy discussions regarding media ethics and the protection of individual privacy rights in the UK.
