Prince Harry’s lawyer announced Wednesday that he has reached a settlement with Rupert Murdoch’s News Group newspapers on charges of unlawful information gathering — an abrupt end to a case that Harry blamed for years of predatory behavior by the tabloids. Gave one last chance to be held responsible. ,
News Group Newspapers offered Harry A “full and frank apology” for hacking his cellphone and intruding into his private life, and admitted “unlawful” conduct by private investigators hired by a tabloid, The Sun. This was the first time that the news group has admitted wrongdoing related to that newspaper.
The company also apologized for previous intrusions by its journalists into the private life of Harry’s mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, who died in a car crash while being pursued by photographers in Paris in 1997.
in a statement In what was read out in court on Wednesday morning, the news group apologized to Harry “for the impact of its extensive coverage and serious intrusion into the private life of his wife, as well as that of his late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales.” Especially during his youth.”
It said: “We acknowledge and apologize for the distress the Duke has caused and the harm he has caused to relationships, friendships and family, and have agreed to pay him substantial compensation,” giving Harry his alternative title, Duke of Sussex. Referring from.
The settlement, announced a day after the long-awaited trial began, spared the news group’s newspapers several weeks of damaging testimony about phone hacking and other illegal methods it used more than a decade ago. Had to gain information about Harry and other prominent personalities. ,
It also spared King Charles III’s younger son, Harry, 40, from huge financial risk, regardless of his performance at court. Under a section of English law aimed at resolving disputes out of court where possible, Harry was required to pay the legal costs of both parties until the court awarded him the amount agreed to by News Group Newspapers in a settlement. Does not give an amount equal to Rs.
The last-minute deal underlined the unfeasible economics for private individuals taking on deep-pocketed corporations in Britain. Mr Murdoch’s companies have used lucrative payments to avoid prosecution in nearly 1,300 cases arising from the phone hacking scandal. The settlers included actor Hugh Grant.
mr grant said in april He had felt forced to compromise, because “even if every allegation were proven in court, I would still be liable for £10 million of costs. I’m afraid I’m shy of that fence.
In the United States, Mr. Murdoch’s Fox News paid $787.5 million in April 2023 to settle a defamation suit brought by Dominion Voting Systems, a voting machine company, over the cable network’s promotion of disinformation about the 2020 election. which Dominion claimed caused losses to the company. ,
News Group Newspapers did not disclose the amount it had agreed to pay to Harry or his fellow contender, former Labor Party deputy leader Tom Watson, to whom News Group also offered a “full and frank apology”, But in both cases it said the amounts were “substantial”.
The company apologized to Mr Watson for what it described as “an inappropriate intrusion into his private life by The News of the World during his time in government during the period 2009–2011”. It acknowledged that this included “being placed under surveillance in 2009 by journalists at The News of the World and those instructed by them.”
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.