Timeline of Prince Harry’s long-running battle against Rupert Murdoch and The Sun publishers
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Here is a timeline of the duke’s claim against Rupert Murdoch’s News Group Newspapers. The Duke of Sussex has settled his legal claim against the publisher of The Sun, with his barrister describing the agreement as a “monumental victory”. Prince Harry was one of two remaining claimants, alongside the former Labour deputy leader Lord Tom Watson, who were due to take their claims over alleged unlawful information gathering against News Group Newspapers (NGN), which also ran the now-defunct News Of The World, to trial.
![[The settlement saw NGN, which denied any unlawful activity took place at The Sun, offer a “full and unequivocal apology” to both men]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/07/16/15/4bad6febfa7dbd48f0b9a0ea6b122e88Y29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzIxMjIzMTE5-2.43238709.jpg)
But the High Court was told on Wednesday that the pair “had reached an agreement” with the publisher before the trial started. The settlement saw NGN, which denied any unlawful activity took place at The Sun, offer a “full and unequivocal apology” to both men and agree to pay them “substantial damages”.
![[He said that the late Queen backed his bid, but his efforts were blocked by King Charles, then Prince of Wales.]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/11/06/17/newFile-4.jpg)
Many others had previously settled their claims against NGN, including: actor Hugh Grant, actress Sienna Miller, ex-footballer Paul Gascoigne, comic Catherine Tate and Spice Girl Melanie Chisholm. Harry began legal action against NGN in 2019, with the trial twice adjourned before Wednesday’s hearing.
![[Harry’s barristers asked the High Court to update parts of his case, including adding allegations that media mogul Rupert Murdoch “turned a blind eye” to allegations of phone hacking at the News Of The World.]](https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/thumbnails/image/2011/07/07/20/621454.jpg)
Here is a timeline of the duke’s claim against NGN. March 4: The High Court is told that The Sun unlawfully obtained phone records of Harry’s then-girlfriend, Chelsy Davy, in 2005, from a South Africa-based private investigator named Mike Behr. The court heard that these were sent to The Sun’s then-royal correspondent, Duncan Larcombe, in May that year. NGN did not respond to the allegation in court.
![[The Duke of Sussex began legal action against NGN in 2019 (Victoria Jones/PA)]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/22/13/6cf69323fc85c81e17baa5a6f63cb35dY29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzM3NjM4MDc0-2.78312837.jpg)
