Prince Harry will receive an eight-sum payment from Rupert Murdoch‘s News Group Newspapers (NGN) following the news the Duke of Sussex came to a surprise settlement, after taking them to court in an illegal information gathering storm.
The 40-year-old contested that both The Sun and the now-bust News of the World targeted him from 1996-2011, with his attorney revealing NGN accessed more than 100 private investigators to track people for over 16 years.
PEOPLE reports the settlement payment will be in the region of $12 million dollars after the agreement on January 22, prior to the commencement of trial, whilst NGN has also issued an “unequivocal” apology to the son of King Charles III.
However it was also revealed outside London’s High Court that named senior executives will not be forced to apologize to the British Royal Family member, who is currently fifth in the line of succession.
“In a monumental victory today,” David Sherborne (KC) told press. “News UK have admitted that The Sun, the flagship title for Rupert Murdoch’s U.K. media empire, has indeed engaged in illegal practices.
“This represents a vindication for the hundreds of other claimants who were strong-armed into settling, without being able to get to the truth of what was done to them.
“The truth that has now been exposed is that NGN unlawfully engaged more than 100 private investigators over at least 16 years on more than 35,000 occasions.
“This happened as much at The Sun as it did at the News of the World, with the knowledge of all the editors and executives, going to the very top of the company.”
Americans within the United States may remember News Group Newspapers and The Sun from Johnny Depp‘s unsuccessful libel lawsuit against the publication in November 2020, after they accused him of being a domestic abuser.
Following a three-week trial at London’s High Court, a judge ruled the published claims were “substantially true” to the civil standard, after NGN presented what they believed were 14 examples and incidents. This was independent of the same trial Depp won against Amber Heard in June 2022.
What does this mean for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle?
The reported $12 million figure is a significant boost to the net worth of the couple, which was estimated to be $60m in 2024, and thus ensures the couple’s family’s short-term future is secure.
With the Duke and Duchess looking to push on their philanthropic goals and the transition to media personalities, the sum could also spur them to create their own productions and further foundations.
“Today’s result has been achieved only through the sheer resilience of Prince Harry and Lord Watson,” Sherborne added. “Whose willingness to take NGN to trial has led directly to this historic admission of unlawfulness at The Sun.”