Murdoch’s UK newspaper business apologized to Prince Harry for illegal activities

Open the editor’s digest for free

FT editor Rula Khalaf picks her favorite stories in this weekly newsletter.

Rupert Murdoch’s UK tabloid newspaper business has apologized and agreed to pay “significant damages” to Prince Harry as it admitted wrongdoing at The Sun for the first time.

In a landmark settlement with the Duke of Sussex, Sussex’s lawyer David Sherborne told the High Court in London on Wednesday that Newsgroup newspapers had made a “full and unequivocal apology” for the “serious intrusion” into the Sun Prince’s private life in 1996. and 2011

The introductions b Murdoch Empire has spent a decade denying any wrongdoing at The Sun, despite paying more than £1bn in costs and settlements to cover phone hacking claims against the sprawling UK news group.

But it means NGN will avoid court rulings on widespread phone hacking and other illegal activities, as well as cover-ups involving senior executives.

In a statement, NGN apologized to the prince for his treatment of his late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, “sorry for the inconvenience caused to the Duke and for the damage to relationships, friendships and family.”

The company added that it had agreed to pay “significant damages” in relation to “the illegal activities of private investigators working for The Sun”. No value is specified.

The prince is the only remaining claimant in the High Court case against NGN, along with former Labor deputy leader Lord Tom Watson, to which the company apologized on Wednesday.

The company issued a “full and unequivocal” apology to Watson for the “inappropriate intrusion” into his private life during the government’s disappearance between 2009 and 2011.

In the year In 2009, he was reportedly under surveillance by journalists in a Sunday tabloid and also agreed to pay “significant damages”. Terms were not disclosed.