LONDON (AP) — Rupert Murdoch’s British tabloids, one of the world’s leading media moguls, offered an unusual apology to Prince Harry as they settled his invasion of privacy lawsuit and will pay him a substantial sum, his lawyer reported on Wednesday.
The lawyer for the son of the king, David Sherborne, read a statement in court in which he said that News Group offers 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 illegal activities carried out by private investigators working for said tabloid.
It was the first time that News Group Newspapers acknowledged having acted improperly in The Sun, a newspaper that in the past was known for featuring topless women on page 3.
The statement itself was remarkable in its breadth, acknowledging "phone hacking, surveillance, and misuse of private information by journalists and private investigators" targeting Harry, allegations that the Group had vehemently denied before the trial.
The statement went even further than the scope of the lawsuit by acknowledging the intrusion into the life of his mother, the late Princess Diana.
"We acknowledge and apologize for the distress caused to the duke, and the harm inflicted on relationships, friendships, and family, and we have agreed to pay him substantial damages," said the agreement statement.
In addition to The Sun, in the United Kingdom Murdoch owns The Times, and in the United States his conglomerate controls media outlets such as FOX, Fox News, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Post.
Why did The Sun group have to accept their guilt?
The surprising announcement at the High Court in London came just as the trial of the Duke of Sussex against the editors of The Sun and the now-defunct News of the World for illegally spying on him for decades was about to begin.
Murdoch closed News of the World after The Guardian reported that the tabloid's reporters had hacked the phone of Milly Dowler, a 13-year-old girl who had been murdered, while the police were looking for her in 2002.
When Prince Harry's case was about to begin on Tuesday morning, the lawyer requested a one-hour recess, then obtained a longer adjournment, and finally asked to have the rest of the day as it became evident that they were working on an agreement.
The case was one of the three lawsuits that Harry has filed accusing British tabloids of violating his privacy by listening to phone messages or using private investigators to help them obtain exclusives illegally.
His case against the Daily Mirror editor ended in victory when the judge ruled that phone hacking was "widespread and routine" at the newspaper and its sister publications. During that trial in 2023, Harry became the first senior member of the royal family to testify in court since the late 19th century, conflicting with the crown's desire to keep their issues out of sight.
What is Harry's relationship with the media like?
Harry's enmity with the press dates back to his youth, when tabloids delighted in reporting everything from his injuries to his girlfriends and his flirtation with drugs. But his anger towards the tabloids runs much deeper, as he blames the media for the death of his mother, Princess Diana, who died in a car accident in 1997 while being chased by paparazzi in Paris.
He also blames them for the persistent attacks against his wife, actress Meghan Markle, which led them to step back from royal duties and move to the United States in 2020.
The legal dispute has been a source of friction in their family, Harry said in the documentary "Tabloids On Trial". He revealed in court documents that his father opposed his claim. He also said that his older brother William, Prince of Wales and heir to the throne, had reached a settlement in a private lawsuit against News Group that, according to his lawyer, amounted to over 1 million pounds ($1.23 million).
“I do this for my own reasons”, said the Duke of Sussex to the creators of the documentary, although he mentioned he wished his family had joined his efforts.