The publisher of the Sun newspaper has agreed to pay “substantial damages” and apologised to the Duke of Sussex to settle a long-running legal battle over claims of unlawful intrusion into his life.
NGN apologised for “serious intrusion” by the Sun between 1996 and 2011, and admitted “incidents of unlawful activity” were carried out by private investigators working for the newspaper, in a statement read out in court. It also apologised for distress it caused Harry through the “extensive coverage” and “serious intrusion” into the private life of his late mother, Princess Diana.
Lord Watson, meanwhile, had alleged his phone was targeted around the time he was investigating newspapers owned by Rupert Murdoch while an MP, at the height of the phone-hacking scandal almost 15 years ago.
NGN also issued an apology to Lord Watson for intrusion into his private life by those working for the News of the World, including “being placed under surveillance” by journalists and people instructed by them.