Prince Harry has finally settled with News Group Newspapers (NGN), the publisher of The Sun, over claims of phone hacking and other shady information-gathering tactics. The case stems from Britain’s now-infamous tabloid culture, which has spent years rifling through the private lives of celebrities, royals, and, well, anyone they could get dirt on.
NGN has admitted to using private investigators to unlawfully snoop on Harry’s personal life—think phone hacking, tailing, and digging through confidential information. The publisher even issued a formal apology, acknowledging what they called “unlawful acts.” Harry will receive a substantial payout as part of the settlement, although the exact figure is under wraps.
Reminder: Harry and his wife Meghan Markle say they were hounded out of the UK and gave up their royal life in part thanks to the harassment by the UK tabloids. Markle said in a bombshell interview with Oprah that the reports and death threats that followed drove her to thoughts of suicide.
A history of bad behaviour
This isn’t just a Prince Harry issue. Britain’s tabloid media, led by NGN and other powerhouses, has a long history of invading privacy in ways that would make your nosy neighbour blush. The phone hacking scandal exploded in 2011 when it was revealed that News of the World, NGN’s now-defunct sister paper, hacked into the voicemail of Milly Dowler, a murdered teenager. 😠 The revelation led to public outrage, legal battles, and, eventually, the paper’s shutdown.
Over the years, NGN and others have paid out nearly £1 billion in settlements to victims, ranging from celebrities to everyday people. Harry himself has been vocal about how these publications contributed to the trauma his mother, Princess Diana, endured before her tragic death in a paparazzi chase.
NGN’s admission highlights the need for accountability in the media, especially in an era when clicks often trump ethics.
