The legal battle between Prince Harry and media magnate Rupert Murdoch’s tabloids is far from over, as the Duke of Sussex could potentially face a trial accusing The Sun of serious illegal activity. London’s High Court issued its ruling on Thursday, allowing Harry to take some parts of his lawsuit against News Group Newspapers (NGN) to trial. However, claims of phone hacking dating back decades were dismissed for being filed too late.
The court also rejected one of Harry’s key arguments, which asserted a “secret deal” between Buckingham Palace and Murdoch’s newspaper group to conceal illegal hacking into royals’ voicemails.
ITV journalist Rebecca Barry reported that News Group considers the ruling “a significant victory” as it narrows the scope of Harry’s legal claim. Nevertheless, the legal battle is far from over, and come January, Prince Harry could find himself back at the High Court facing The Sun in a trial over serious illegal activities.
Prince Harry is pursuing four cases at the High Court against British publishers, including allegations of invasions of privacy by The Sun and the now-defunct News of the World from the mid-1990s until 2016. The 38-year-old prince, who now resides in California with his wife Meghan and their two children, views these legal actions as a mission to hold tabloid executives accountable for dishonesty and covering up widespread wrongdoing. The outcome of the forthcoming trial could have significant implications for the media industry and the ongoing scrutiny of press practices.
