Prince Harry wins privacy case against Rupert Murdoch’s tabloids with rare apology

Prince Harry settles lawsuit with Rupert Murdoch’s tabloids over phone hacking and privacy invasion.

Prince Harry has settled his privacy invasion lawsuit against Rupert Murdoch’s News Group Newspapers (NGN), receiving a substantial payment and a rare public apology. The settlement centers on phone hacking, surveillance, and the misuse of private information by The Sun and the now-defunct News of the World between 1996 and 2011. NGN admitted wrongdoing, marking the first time the company has acknowledged unlawful practices at The Sun. The apology also extended to the late Princess Diana, acknowledging intrusions into her private life.

The legal battle was one of three lawsuits Harry has filed against British tabloids, accusing them of violating his privacy through unlawful means. Harry was among the final two claimants out of more than 1,300 settlements related to NGN’s phone hacking scandal, which led to the closure of News of the World in 2011. That scandal came to light after it was revealed that the tabloid’s reporters hacked the phone of a murdered schoolgirl, Milly Dowler, during a police search.

The settlement highlights Harry’s ongoing fight against media intrusion, which he has called deeply personal. He blames the tabloids not only for his own struggles but also for the death of his mother, Princess Diana, in a car crash in 1997 while being pursued by paparazzi. Harry’s legal battles have caused friction within his family, with his father, King Charles III, opposing the lawsuits, and his brother, Prince William, settling a private claim with NGN for over £1 million.

This landmark case adds to Harry’s legal victories, including a 2023 ruling against the Daily Mirror. With another lawsuit against the Daily Mail publisher pending, Harry’s efforts continue to reshape the conversation around privacy and media accountability.