Politics

Prince Harry and the agreement with Rupert Murdoch: maxi-compensation to avoid the trial against The Sun

The legal battle between Prince Harry and the British newspaper ended in less than 24 hours The Sun, belonging to Rupert Murdoch’s publishing group. The trial, which would have taken about ten weeks, was avoided thanks to an out-of-court settlement which includes substantial financial compensation and a formal letter of apology addressed to the Duke of Sussex.

Now News Group Newspaperspublisher of the tabloid, issued a statement saying: “We apologize to the Duke for the impact that our media coverage and serious intrusions into his private life, as well as that of Diana, Princess of Wales, have had on of him.”

This outcome represents a personal victory for Prince Harry, who has vigorously pursued his goal of obtaining justice for those he believes are co-responsible for the accident that cost his mother’s life, Lady Diana. A trauma never fully overcome, amplified by media pressure which, according to Harry, also threatened his wife’s serenity Meghan Markle.

The editorial team also stated: “We recognize and apologize for the pain caused to the Duke and the damage inflicted on relationships, friendships and his family, so we have agreed to compensate him substantially for damages.”

The deal comes after preliminary proceedings – initially scheduled for Tuesday – were postponed due to time zone issues between London and California, where Harry resides with his family. Today, however, the issue has been definitively resolved: the requests made by the prince, including an official apology and recognition of the illicit conduct of the tabloid, have been accepted.

Harry vs the English tabloids: the whole story

The News Group newspaper wiretapping scandal first emerged in July 2009. when the British newspaper The Guardian revealed that the company had paid over a million pounds to settle lawsuits which risked exposing the illegal methods used by its journalists. These methods included illicit access to answering machines and the use of private investigators.

In the years that followed, further allegations surfaced, leading News Group Newspapers to publicly apologize for its employees’ illegal conduct. The pressure culminated in the definitive closure of News of the World in 2011, also due to the flight of sponsors and readers.

However, Prince Harry’s recent accusations mark a new chaptermoving the focus beyond the specific case of phone hacking. In fact, Harry also involves everyday life The Sunaccusing the entire company of trying to cover up the scandals.

To date, News Group Newspapers has settled lawsuits filed by approximately 1,300 people, but Prince Harry and Lord Watson they remain among the last plaintiffs. The latter was in the parliamentary commission that investigated the cases of phone hacking by the tabloids and accuses Murdoch’s newspapers of tapping his answering machine 15 years ago. Harry claims that more than 200 articles published by the group’s newspapers between 1996 and 2011 reported private details obtained exclusively through illicit activities, representing a serious violation of his privacy.

David Sherborne, Harry’s lawyer, read a statement explaining that “full and unequivocal apologies had been offered for the serious intrusions” made by the newspaper The Sun in the reference period, between 1996 and 2011.

In the past, other celebrities, such as the actor Hugh Grantthe actress Sienna Miller, the former footballer Paul Gascoigne and the singer Melanie Chisholmhad reached similar out-of-court settlements, receiving compensation without going to court. However, Prince Harry had been adamant, determined to obtain a public admission of guilt.

To date, in fact, The Sun he had always rejected the accusations, denying any responsibility, even in the face of the numerous personalities who had joined the Duke of Sussex in the battle against the violation of privacy. Harry’s determination, while carrying the risk of costly legal fees, ultimately led to the desired outcome.

With this victory, the prince seems to have put a full stop on a painful chapter in his life.