News Group Newspapers’ apology to Prince Harry for decades of “serious intrusion” into his “private life” as part of a settlement ending Harry’s legal battle against The Sun publisher also expressed regret for crossing the line in its coverage of his late mother, Princess Diana.
On Jan. 22, NGN issued a “full and unequivocal apology” to the Duke of Sussex, 40, and “substantial damages” for hacking his phone and invading his privacy before his trial against the publisher began. PEOPLE understands that the settlement involved an eight-figure sum, likely exceeding $12 million, covering both legal costs and damages. The Sun‘s publisher also apologized for past intrusions by its journalists into Princess Diana’s “private life” in a statement significant as its first admission of wrongdoing linked to the flagship tabloid.
In a statement obtained by PEOPLE following the surprise settlement on Jan. 22, NGN, which is owned by Rupert Murdoch, said it 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.”
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The news group offered “a full and unequivocal apology” to King Charles’ younger son for “for the phone hacking, surveillance and misuse of private information by journalists and private investigators instructed by them at the News of the World,” it said, referencing the now-defunct tabloid once under its umbrella.
“NGN further apologizes to the Duke for the impact on him of the extensive coverage and serious intrusion into his private life as well as the private life of Diana, Princess of Wales, his late mother, in particular during his younger years,” the statement said. “We acknowledge and apologize for the distress caused to the Duke, and the damage inflicted on relationships, friendships and family, and have agreed to pay him substantial damages.”
Prince Harry had accused the publisher of illegal information gathering between 1996 and 2011, years during which The Sun and News of the World allegedly targeted him. That period overlapped with Princess Diana’s untimely death at age 36 in August 1997 following a car accident in Paris in which photographers pursued her vehicle.
The Duke of Sussex recently spoke about his complicated relationship with the press following his mother’s death when he was 12 during an appearance at The New York Times‘ Dealbook Summit in December 2024.
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“I was always convinced I needed to be angry or frustrated towards the press because of what they did to my mom,” Prince Harry said then, likening later therapy to a “blessing” and somewhat like “cleaning the windshield.”
In the same conversation with Andrew Ross Sorkin, Harry underscored his commitment to seeing the proceedings through.
“They have settled because they’ve had to settle,” the Duke of Sussex said in reference to other claimants, including Hugh Grant, who previously settled their litigation against NGN out of concern for the vast costs at stake.
“One of the main reasons for seeing this through is accountability because I’m the last person that can actually achieve that,” Harry emphasized, Reuters reported.
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The high-profile trial was originally scheduled to start on Jan. 21, but was delayed by a day around private settlement discussions. Prince Harry was not present in court on Jan. 21 and was represented by his lawyer, David Sherborne.
Harry was due to give evidence later in the trial, which was taking place alongside former Labour Member of Parliament Tom Watson.
Prince Harry and Watson were the only two claimants who refused to join the hundreds of others who previously settled lawsuits with NGN over allegations of phone hacking and other illegal information gathering by journalists and private investigators. (Sienna Miller was another famous name involved in the initial claims, but settled at an earlier stage.)
NGN’s watershed apology on Jan. 22 also offered “a full and unequivocal apology” to Lord Watson “for the unwarranted intrusion carried out into his private life during his time in Government by the News of the World during the period 2009-2011.” The company has also agreed to pay Lord Watson “substantial damages.”
Outside the court, Sherbourne read a statement on behalf of Harry and Watson describing NGN’s admission of engagement in illegal practices as a “monumental victory,” and the former MP praised the Duke of Sussex for his leadership in the case.
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“His bravery and astonishing courage has brought accountability to a part of the media world that thought it was untouchable. I am sure I speak on behalf of the thousands of victims when I say we are grateful to him for his unwavering support and his determination under extraordinary pressure,” Watson said about Prince Harry.
He further urged Murdoch to “follow this corporate admission of guilt with a personal apology to Prince Harry, to his father our King and to the countless others who’ve suffered the same unlawful behavior at the hands of his media empire.”
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