Sun owner to pay Prince Harry 'substantial' damages

Prince Harry has settled a ineligible lawsuit against the steadfast of the Sun implicit claims of unlawful intrusion into his beingness aft it agreed to wage "substantial damages" and connection an "unequivocal apology".

The Duke of Sussex alleged journalists and backstage investigators moving for News Group Newspapers (NGN) utilized unlawful techniques to pry connected his backstage beingness - and executives past allegedly covered it up.

NGN apologised for "serious intrusion" by the Sun betwixt 1996 and 2011, and admitted "incidents of unlawful activity" were carried retired by backstage investigators moving for the newspaper, successful a connection work retired successful court.

It besides apologised for distress it caused Harry done the "extensive coverage" and "serious intrusion" into the backstage beingness of his precocious mother, Princess Diana.

The BBC understands the settlements to some Prince Harry and erstwhile Labour lawman person Lord Tom Watson person outgo NGN much than £10m successful wage outs and ineligible fees.

In full NGN has spent upwards of £1bn successful damages and costs to those who assertion their phones were hacked and their privateness invaded by the News of the World and the Sun.

The colony was announced aft barrister David Sherborne, representing Harry, asked the justice to hold the commencement of the High Court proceedings connected Tuesday, arsenic the 2 sides were progressive successful imaginable colony talks.

When helium launched his claim, the prince alleged that much than 200 articles published by NGN betwixt 1996 and 2011 contained accusation gathered by amerciable means.

He repeatedly said helium wanted the lawsuit to spell to proceedings truthful that helium could get "accountability" for different alleged victims of unlawful newsgathering.

NGN was "surprised by the superior attack by Prince Harry for colony successful caller days", a root told the BBC.

A root adjacent to the Duke of Sussex responded that the apology "provides each the penetration you need".

Speaking extracurricular tribunal connected behalf of Prince Harry, Mr Sherborne described the colony arsenic a "monumental victory", and said NGN had been "finally held to relationship for its amerciable actions and its blatant disregard for the law".

Lord Watson, meanwhile, had alleged his telephone was targeted astir the clip helium was investigating newspapers owned by Rupert Murdoch portion an MP, astatine the tallness of the phone-hacking scandal astir 15 years ago.

NGN besides issued an apology to Lord Watson for intrusion into his backstage beingness by those moving for the News of the World, including "being placed nether surveillance" by journalists and radical instructed by them.

• The afloat apology to Prince Harry from Sun owner

After the colony was announced, Lord Watson told reporters: "I privation they had near my household alone. Today, I'm gladsome they person yet accepted responsibility."

Describing the snooping by NGN unit arsenic "industrial successful scale", helium said its proprietor Rupert Murdoch should connection "a idiosyncratic apology" to Prince Harry, arsenic good arsenic immoderate others affected.

Lord Watson added that the ineligible squad down the lawsuit would walk a dossier to the Metropolitan Police.

A Met spokesperson said it noted the result of the case, adding that determination were "no progressive constabulary investigations into allegations of telephone hacking oregon related matters".

NGN said successful a connection its colony "draws a enactment nether the past" and "brings an extremity to this litigation".

It added: "Lord Watson's telephone was not hacked successful 2009-11 and had this gone to trial, NGN would person called grounds from telecoms experts to show that hacking aft 2007 was nigh connected intolerable owed to information upgrades undertaken by telecoms companies."

The apology besides covers incidents of unlawful activities carried retired by backstage investigators moving for the Sun paper from 1996-2011, the connection said - but "not by journalists".

The references to the Sun successful the apology were key, arsenic without it the prince would not person settled.

NGN has already apologised for unlawful practices astatine the now-defunct News of the World, but antecedently denied akin claims against the Sun - arsenic good arsenic Prince Harry's wider allegation of a corporate-wide cover-up.

While it admitted nary illegality, NGN acknowledged successful its apology that its effect to the arrests successful 2006 of News of the World unit who hacked royal phones and those of celebrities - and its consequent actions - were "regrettable".

Journalist Clive Goodman and Glenn Mulcaire, a backstage investigator, were aboriginal jailed for intercepting voicemails connected phones belonging to the princes' aides.

By agreeing to a settlement, NGN has avoided 8 weeks of dilatory revealed allegations.

Now the tribunal volition not trial the claims that elder executives deliberately obstructed justness by deleting emails and taking portion successful a screen up of evidence. This is "strongly denied" by NGN.

And determination volition not beryllium damaging headlines astir property intrusion into the royal household and the bosom of government.

Former exertion of the Sun, Kelvin MacKenzie, said it would person been "massively damaging" had the company's main enforcement Rebekah Brooks been forced to springiness grounds astatine a trial.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's The World astatine One programme, helium said helium was "astonished" by NGN's admissions successful its statement.

"There was ever going to travel a time similar this, and [Prince] Harry's pursued it. [NGN] are connected the backmost ft and determination is astir apt thing other they could do."

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said it was "a important time and a large relief" for the 2 claimants.

She told The World At One she did not judge a second-stage Leveson enquiry into property practices was "fit for purpose", but said families from the Hacked Off run radical were preparing a "thorough briefing" astir the changes they judge are required.

She said the authorities had to enactment with the families and the media to marque definite "we onslaught that close equilibrium and we support a escaped and just press".

Harry was 12 erstwhile his mother, the Princess of Wales, was killed successful a car clang successful a Paris passageway portion being followed by paparazzi. He has suggested tabloid newspapers played a relation successful her death.

Last twelvemonth helium said the tabloid property had been "central" to the breakdown of his narration with the remainder of the Royal Family.

He has besides settled a lawsuit against Mirror Group Newspapers alleging the publishers had gathered accusation connected him successful unlawful ways from 1996 to 2010.