Prince Harry is forging ahead with his lawsuit against Rupert Murdoch's News Group Newspapers (NGN), accusing the organization of unlawful information-gathering practices.
Despite numerous other litigants opting to settle, Harry's legal team remains steadfast, his lawyer revealed on Friday.
The Duke of Sussex, 40, is suing the publisher of The Sun and the now-defunct News of the World in London’s High Court. Harry alleges NGN unlawfully obtained his private information over a 15-year period, spanning from 1996 to 2011.
His case stands out among approximately 40 lawsuits filed against NGN. Nearly all other claimants, except for former Labour Party deputy leader Tom Watson, have reached settlements, Harry's lawyer, David Sherborne, informed the court.
High-profile individuals who have settled include Spice Girl Melanie Brown, former BBC executive Alan Yentob, Game of Thrones actor Alfie Allen, and Ted Beckham, father of soccer legend David Beckham.
The trial is set to begin in January. However, Sherborne has previously noted that some claimants might feel compelled to settle due to the risk of incurring significant legal costs if they proceed to trial and fail to secure a favorable judgment.
This risk was underscored when British actor Hugh Grant reluctantly settled his own case against NGN earlier this year.
NGN has paid out hundreds of millions of pounds to settle claims related to phone hacking and other unlawful activities conducted by News of the World journalists. Over 1,300 individuals, including celebrities, politicians, sports figures, and others linked to major events, have received compensation.
In a prior statement, Harry’s legal team revealed that his elder brother, Prince William, privately settled a lawsuit against NGN in 2020. The disclosure added further intrigue to Harry's ongoing legal battle.
While NGN has consistently denied allegations of wrongdoing by its staff at The Sun, the publisher has issued settlements to resolve claims linked to its journalists’ alleged misconduct.
This high-profile lawsuit continues to cast a spotlight on the media’s treatment of public figures, setting the stage for a landmark trial in the new year. Photo by DoD News Features, Wikimedia commons.