The privacy trial involving Prince Harry and the Rupert Murdoch-owned tabloid, The Sun, has been thrown into uncertainty after a reported last-minute settlement offer.
The Duke of Sussex, along with former U.K. lawmaker Tom Watson, is suing News Group Newspapers (NGN) over allegations that journalists broke the law to obtain stories.
Prince Harry Settlement
The trial was set to begin at 10:30 a.m. U.K. time, but an unexpected one-hour delay sparked rumors in the press.
When the legal teams returned to court, they requested even more time to seek an “outcome” to the case.
Meanwhile, NPR media correspondent David Folkenflik reported on X, that a substantial offer to settle had been made.
He stated, “There has been a massive offer from Murdoch’s camp to resolve the hacking suits from Prince Harry and former MP Tom Watson, according to a person with knowledge.”
When the legal teams returned at 2 p.m., they requested even more time, citing issues with time zones that could be resolved in as little as two hours.
Harry’s lawyer, David Sherborne, clarified that while the time difference was a factor, it was not the primary reason for the delay.
The legal teams cautioned that starting the trial could jeopardize efforts to reach an out-of-court settlement, but Fancourt was not convinced:
“I’m not satisfied that this has anything to do with time difference between here and California. There comes a point when the parties have had ample time to resolve their differences and have not done so. I see no reason to change my mind despite what has been said to the court.”
Eventually, the judge granted just ten more minutes before the trial would begin in earnest, potentially jeopardizing the chances of a settlement.
When the lawyers returned, they appealed to overturn the judge’s decision to deny an adjournment until Wednesday morning, vowing to continue the battle in the High Court.
The legal teams have until 2 p.m. U.K. time, or 6 a.m. in California, to finalize a deal; otherwise, the trial will commence after the court’s lunch break.
Prince Harry lawsuit
Prince Harry’s lawsuit, filed nearly six years ago in September 2019, has been a personal vendetta for the Duke. He has aimed to expose big names in British tabloid journalism, blaming journalists for the collapse of his past relationship with Chelsy Davy and for the pressure on his marriage to Meghan Markle.
If Prince Harry withdraws from the trial at this late stage, it might be seen as a significant concession—even though he could be financially better off by accepting the settlement.
On the other hand, if he proceeds with the trial and wins, but the damages awarded are lower than NGN’s settlement offer, he could be liable for court costs, which could far exceed his payout.
This dilemma places the prince in a high-stakes situation on a matter close to his heart. He holds the tabloids partly responsible for the death of his mother, Princess Diana.