Jan. 22 (UPI) — Prince Harry settled his phone hacking case against Rupert Murdoch’s News Group Newspapers on Wednesday, receiving an apology from the company and damages, his attorney told the British high court.
The royal’s trial against the parent of The Sun and defunct News of the World was scheduled to start this week but was delayed in court as the two sides apparently hammered out a settlement.
Harry’s attorney David Sherborne said his client was offered a “full and unequivocal apology” for phone hacking, surveillance, and “misuse of private information” by NGN’s journalists and private investigators.
Sherborne also told the high court that Harry would be paid “substantial damages” to settle the case, but the sum was not disclosed.
“NGN further apologies to the duke for the impact on him of the extensive coverage and serious intrusion into his private life as well as the private life of Diana, Princess of Wales, his late mother, in particular during his younger years,” Sherborne said, according to The Guardian.
Tom Watson, a former Labor Party politician who had also sued Murdoch’s newspaper group settled with NGN and was expected to pick up the legal fees for him and Harry in both cases.
Harry’s is just the latest of high-profile cases NGN has settled. The company had previously reached agreements with actors Hugh Grant and Sienna Miller. Overall, NGN has reportedly settled more than 1,300 claims against it.
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