Prince Harry settles lawsuit against Rupert Murdoch's UK newspaper group

Prince Harry claimed victory in his long-running legal battle against Rupert Murdoch's British newspaper group after settling his lawsuit, which included an apology for unlawful actions related to The Sun for the first time.

What was the case about?

Harry sued News Group Newspapers (NGN) over alleged unlawful activities carried out by journalists and private investigators working for its papers, The Sun and the now-defunct News of the World, from 1996 to 2011.

The prince and former senior British lawmaker Tom Watson were the only two claimants left to go to trial after others reached settlements, including actor Hugh Grant, who reluctantly settled.

Lawyer David Sherborne, flanked by former Deputy Leader of the Labour Party Tom Watson, gives a media statement outside the Rolls Building of the High Court after Watson and Britain’s Prince Harry settled their lawsuits against Rupert Murdoch's News Group Newspapers in London, Britain, January 22, 2025.Reuters

NGN, owned by News Corp (NWSA.O), has settled claims from more than 1,300 individuals, including celebrities, politicians, and sports figures.

The publisher closed News of the World in 2011 after the phone-hacking scandal first emerged but had always denied claims of unlawful activity at The Sun—until Wednesday.

While NGN’s apology stopped short of admitting unlawful activities by journalists at The Sun, referring only to private investigators, Harry’s lawyer said the agreement represented vindication for those who had previously settled.

In a joint statement, Harry and Watson said NGN had now paid out more than 1 billion pounds.

What is the phone hacking scandal?

Phone hacking, the illegal interception of voicemails on mobile phones, first came to public attention in 2006 when the royal editor of News of the World and a private investigator were arrested. They pleaded guilty and were jailed in 2007.

In 2011, further revelations emerged, including that a murdered schoolgirl had been targeted, leading to Murdoch closing the paper.

The scandal also led to a high-profile public inquiry into the ethics of the British press and a criminal trial, in which former News of the World editor Andy Coulson was found guilty of conspiracy to hack phones and jailed in 2014.

Rebekah Brooks, a former editor of News of the World and The Sun, was acquitted of all charges and later returned to Murdoch's publishing empire. She now heads News Corp's UK operation.

How significant is the settlement?

Harry’s legal team hailed the deal as a significant victory, with NGN admitting unlawful activity at The Sun for the first time—something the publisher had long sought to avoid, even as it settled "Sun-only" lawsuits from Grant and actress Sienna Miller.

For NGN and senior executives, including Brooks, avoiding an eight-week trial and the public release of extensive evidence may also feel like a win.

Judge Timothy Fancourt acknowledged that the deal makes it unlikely a trial over phone hacking and other unlawful activities at The Sun and News of the World will take place.

NGN said the deal "draws a line under the past" and brings an end to the litigation, adding it would apply to any future claims.

However, claimants are expected to turn their focus to pressing politicians and the police to revisit the phone-hacking scandal in light of Wednesday’s apology.

Speaking outside court, Watson challenged Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Metropolitan Police Chief Mark Rowley, saying the claimants would provide the police with a "dossier exposing wrongdoing."

Who else is Prince Harry suing?

The NGN case is one of three major lawsuits Harry has pursued against British media organizations.

He successfully sued Mirror Group Newspapers, winning substantial damages after a 2023 trial, and is also suing the publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday, with the trial set for 2026.