Prince Harry has won an unexpected victory in his legal battle against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) in the High Court in London. MGN has apologized “unreservedly” to the Duke of Sussex for its involvement in violating his privacy and using abusive methods to gather information.
This is not the first time MGN has been embroiled in controversies of this kind. Several celebrities, including Elton John and Elisabeth Hurley, have joined Harry’s fight against the business conglomerate.
In March, the prince testified before the judge about his experience with media information gathering.
Prince Harry receives apology in the middle of hacking trial
MGN has issued a statement apologizing to Prince Harry for his illegal conduct and guaranteeing that it will not happen again. They further state that the Duke of Sussex is entitled to appropriate compensation. However, MGN’s lawyer has made it clear that these apologies should not be interpreted as an attempt to reduce the damage caused.
“MGN unreservedly apologizes for all such instances of UIG, and assures the claimants that such conduct will never be repeated,” court documents said. “This apology is not made with the tactical objective of reducing damages (MGN accepts that an apology at this stage will not have that effect), but is made because such conduct should never have occurred.”
Harry’s lawyer, David Sherborne, argues that illegal intelligence gathering is a widespread practice in the media and that MGN is just one of many who engage in it. According to Sherborne, the heads of publications and MGN’s legal department were aware of these practices and accepted them as valid.
Harry’s lawyer has also claimed that his client has suffered an invasion of his privacy from his school days through his time in the military and as a young adult. According to him, the prince has experienced unusual telephone activity, suggesting unauthorized access to his voicemails and illegal collection of information.
For his part, MGN has admitted to hiring a private detective to gather information about Prince Harry in 2004. The Duke of Sussex has claimed that he was receiving daily missed calls from unknown numbers, which posed a problem for the Royal Family. Although MGN has apologized to Harry, the case is still in court and it is possible that in the coming days or weeks, Meghan Markle’s husband will return to London to attend the High Court sessions and provide more evidence against the different media involved. It is possible that on this occasion, he may decide to go accompanied by his wife if the judge determines that they are right in their fight to avoid impunity and the ethical limits of the British press.
Harry and Meghan have fought this battle together, sharing the same view on the facts and the need to limit media impunity. According to the memoirs of King Charles’ youngest son, the British press has been responsible for bringing to light private stories that should never have come to light, such as the photo of Harry disguised as a Nazi, the scandal between Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton, and other intimate moments.
