Prince Harry’s lawsuit against Rupert Murdoch’s newspaper group begins Tuesday. The case will be heard in London’s High Court. The younger son of King Charles will give evidence next month. Harry is suing News Group Newspapers (NGN). He accuses journalists of illegal conduct. He also blames private investigators employed by NGN’s newspapers. Those papers include The Sun and the now-defunct News of the World. The purported activities took place from 1996 to 2011.
Seeking Accountability
Prince Harry wants to tell the truth. Some 40 other claimants settled their cases. Among those were the actor Hugh Grant. They sidestepped possible sizable legal fees. Even they would happen if they won there. They had declined NGN’s proposals. “They settled because they had no choice,” Prince Harry said. He was speaking at the New York Times Dealbook Summit. “Accountability is a primary factor driving this,” he said. “I’m the last person to do that.”
A War with the Press
The latest lawsuit comes in the NGN case. It adds to Harry’s long-simmering feud with the British press. This feud has simmered since he married Meghan in 2018. Prince Harry and Meghan stepped back from royal duties in 2020. They relocated to California with their children. Prince Harry blames tabloid intrusion for making this decision. He also referred to harassment and incitement of hatred. His critics say he wants revenge. They cite coverage of him. They also reference his comments regarding royal family members. He railed against editors and executives in documentaries, in his memoir and in interviews.
The Eight-Week Trial
The trial is expected to take eight weeks and will deal only with “generic issues.” These include phone tapping and unlawful information collection. It will also look into how much senior NGN figures knew. It will also examine accusations of evidence destruction. The trial will look into NGN’s allegations. These offenses include making false statements and misleading police. The statements were made to a public inquiry into media ethics. They will look at specific evidence about Harry and Tom Watson. Watson is a former deputy leader of the Labour party. Harry is expected to testify for two days. And former Prime Minister Gordon Brown will also join.
NGN’s Defense
“His claim will be robustly defended,” an NGN spokesperson said. They say Prince Harry’s lawsuit is “out of time.” The spokeswoman said Watson was not ever a target of hacking. They denied destroying emails in violation of the law. They described that allegation as “wrong, unsustainable and vigorously denied.”
Earlier Legal Success and Broader Consequences
Prince Harry won his case against Mirror Group Newspapers. This was for hacking into his voicemail. It also discussed other violations of privacy. He won substantial damages. He became the first senior royal to give evidence in court in 130 years. This occurred in June 2023. For Murdoch’s group, much more is at stake.
In 2011, its apologized for phone hacking at the News of the World. Murdoch shut down the paper. NGN has issued hundreds of millions to victims. These victims were hacked over the phone and were illegally gathering information. They reached settlements with more than 1,300 individuals. NGN denies any wrongful conduct at The Sun This trial will consider particular claims made about The Sun Rebekah Brooks was once the editor of The Sun. She is now the head of News Corp’s British branch. She was acquitted of phone hacking in 2014. Harry’s team was “desperate” to avoid justice, NGN’s lawyers argued, and were attempting to rehash old cases. Harry could not bring allegations against Murdoch, the judge ruled. Brooks will not testify. Other NGN staff will appear.
