Prince Harry will proceed with his lawsuit against Rupert Murdoch‘s News Group Newspapers (NGN), despite numerous other claimants settling their cases, as told by Harry’s lawyer, David Sherborne on Friday.
The lawsuit revolves around allegations of unlawful information gathering by journalists and private investigators working for NGN, publisher of The Sun and the now-defunct News of the World. Harry claims NGN engaged in these activities to obtain private information about him between 1996 and 2011.
Whilst approximately 40 cases were initially brought against NGN, Harry’s lawyer David Sherborne informed the court that all but two claimants have now reached settlements, with former Labour Party deputy leader Tom Watson being the other remaining litigant. Notable figures who have settled include Spice Girl Melanie Brown, former BBC executive Alan Yentob, and Queen Camilla’s nephew, Ben Elliot.
Addressing the settlements, NGN spokesperson was quoted by Reuters saying, “In some disputed cases, it has made commercial sense to come to a settlement agreement before trial to bring a resolution to the matter. As we reach the tail end of the litigation, NGN is drawing a line under the disputed matters.”
Despite this, Harry’s legal team requested NGN to search for emails between senior executives at News Corp, NGN’s parent company, and royal staff. They allege these communications could shed light on potential knowledge and involvement of high-ranking figures in the unlawful activities.
The judge, Timothy Fancourt, ordered NGN to provide additional documentation, including any News Corp proposals sent to royal staff. Court documents indicate Harry will argue that his father attempted to discourage him from pursuing legal action against NGN.
A January trial is scheduled, although Sherborne previously indicated that claimants might be compelled to settle due to potential substantial legal costs, even if successful at trial.
NGN has avoided trials regarding phone-hacking allegations, having paid substantial settlements to over 1,300 individuals affected by unlawful information gathering. Whilst denying wrongdoing at the Sun, the publisher has settled claims involving its journalists.
Fancourt previously ruled that Harry’s case could proceed with allegations of ‘blagging’ and other privacy invasions, though phone-hacking claims were excluded. Senior figures, including former NGN executive and current Washington Post publisher Will Lewis, remain implicated in the case.