Prince Harry has settled his court case against The Sun (Image: Getty)
has settled his privacy claim against the publisher of The Sun, with News Group Newspapers issuing the Duke a full and unequivocal apology.
NGN said its actions were “regrettable” but it does so “without any admission of illegality”.
The Duke of Sussex, 40, alleged he was targeted by journalists and private investigators working for News Group Newspapers (NGN), which also published the now-defunct News Of The World. NGN has denied any unlawful activity took place at The Sun.
The deal means that Harry will not be able to seek a court ruling validating his allegations that News Group Newspapers’ journalists went to illegal extremes to dig up dirt on his life and that executives at the company helped cover up the bad acts.
The trial was due to begin at 10:30am on Tuesday, but The case was expected to last for up to 10-weeks, with Harry due to give testimony in court.
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On Wednesday morning, Harry’s barrister David Sherborne said that the parties had “reached an agreement” and that NGN had offered an apology to the duke and would pay “substantial damages”.
Lord Tom Watson, former Labour deputy leader, was also taking legal action against the publisher, but also settled his claim.
Mr Sherborne said: “I am pleased to announce to the court that the parties have reached an agreement. As a result of the parties reaching an agreement I would ask formally that the trial is vacated.”
NGN has offered “a full and unequivocal apology” to the Duke of Sussex “for the phone hacking, surveillance and misuse of private information by journalists and private investigators instructed by them” at The Sun.
They said they will pay “substantial damages” as the two sides settled their legal claim, Harry’s barrister has told the High Court.
Reports suggest the figure could be as high as eight figures.
The announcement in London’s High Court came despite the Duke of Sussex’s vow that he was the one person who could hold the publishers of The Sun and now-defunct News of the World accountable at trial for unlawful information gathering.
“One of the main reasons for seeing this through is accountability, because I’m the last person that can actually achieve that,” he told The New York Times Dealbook Summit in December when he said he wouldn’t settle.