---
title: "Prince Harry wins apology and damages from Murdoch papers"
description: "LONDON, Jan 22 (Reuters) - Prince Harry has settled his lawsuit against Rupert Murdoch's News Group Newspapers (NGN) over alleged unlawful information gathering, his lawyer said on Wednesday, after the media group admitted he had been the victim of unlawful activity."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "Media"
author: "Reuters"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/reuters/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-01-22-prince-harry-wins-apology-and-damages-from-murdoch-papers/"
published: "2025-01-22T12:56:33"
updated: "2025-01-22T12:56:35"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 149
---

# Prince Harry wins apology and damages from Murdoch papers

> LONDON, Jan 22 (Reuters) - Prince Harry has settled his lawsuit against Rupert Murdoch's News Group Newspapers (NGN) over alleged unlawful information gathering, his lawyer said on Wednesday, after the media group admitted he had been the victim of unlawful activity.

By Reuters · Published 22 January 2025, 14:56 SAST · Updated 22 January 2025, 14:56 SAST

## Key points
- In a royal twist of fate, Prince Harry has traded his court attire for a settlement check, as the publisher of the Sun admits to hacking his phone and intruding on the late Princess Diana's privacy—proof that even the Windsors have their price.
- Prince Harry settles lawsuit against News Group Newspapers (NGN) over unlawful information gathering from 1996 to 2011.
- NGN agrees to pay significant damages, acknowledging Harry's victimization by the Sun and phone-hacking by the News of the World.
- The settlement includes an apology for intrusions into the private life of his late mother, Princess Diana.
- The trial was set to begin at London's High Court, but the deal was reached just before proceedings commenced.

## Content

Harry, 40, the younger son of King Charles, was suing the publisher of the Sun and the now-defunct News of the World at the High Court in London, alleging NGN unlawfully obtained private information about him from 1996 until 2011.

His lawyer said that a deal had been reached to settle the lawsuit.The trial of the royal's case and a lawsuit from former senior lawmaker Tom Watson was due to start at London's High Court on Tuesday.

But Harry's lawyer said a deal had been struck with NGN agreeing to pay significant damages and that NGN had admitted he had been the victim of unlawful activity by the Sun and had suffered phone-hacking at the hands of the News of the World.

It had also apologised for intruding into the private life of his late mother, Princess Diana.

(Reporting by Michael HoldenEditing by Christina Fincher and Kate Holton)