Newspaper to pay Prince Harry 'substantial' damages
Entertainment
Settlement of a long-running legal battle over claims of unlawful intrusion into his life
(Web Desk) - The publisher of the Sun newspaper has agreed to pay "substantial damages" and apologised to the Duke of Sussex to settle a long-running legal battle over claims of unlawful intrusion into his life.
Prince Harry alleged journalists and private investigators working for News Group Newspapers (NGN) used unlawful techniques to pry on his private life - and executives then allegedly covered it up.
NGN apologised for "serious intrusion" by the Sun between 1996 and 2011, and admitted "incidents of unlawful activity" were carried out by private investigators working for the newspaper, in a statement read out in court.
It also apologised for distress it caused Harry through the "extensive coverage" and "serious intrusion" into the private life of his late mother, Princess Diana.
The BBC understands the settlements to both Prince Harry and former Labour deputy leader Lord Tom Watson have cost NGN more than £10m in pay outs and legal fees.
In total NGN has spent upwards of £1bn in damages and costs to those who claim their phones were hacked and their privacy invaded by the News of the World and the Sun.
When he launched his claim, the prince alleged that more than 200 articles published by NGN between 1996 and 2011 contained information gathered by illegal means.
He repeatedly said he wanted the case to go to trial so that he could get "accountability" for other alleged victims of unlawful newsgathering.
NGN was "surprised by the serious approach by Prince Harry for settlement in recent days", a source told the BBC.
A source close to the Duke of Sussex responded that the apology "provides all the insight you need".
Speaking outside court on behalf of Prince Harry, his barrister David Sherborne described the settlement as a "monumental victory", and said NGN had been "finally held to account for its illegal actions and its blatant disregard for the law".
Lord Watson, meanwhile, had alleged his phone was targeted around the time he was investigating newspapers owned by Rupert Murdoch while an MP, at the height of the phone-hacking scandal almost 15 years ago.
NGN also issued an apology to Lord Watson for intrusion into his private life by those working for the News of the World, including "being placed under surveillance" by journalists and people instructed by them.
NGN said in a statement its settlement "draws a line under the past" and "brings an end to this litigation".
It added: "Lord Watson's phone was not hacked in 2009-11 and had this gone to trial, NGN would have called evidence from telecoms experts to demonstrate that hacking after 2007 was nigh on impossible due to security upgrades undertaken by telecoms companies."
