On Friday, December 15, the UK High Court awarded £140,600 ($179,000) to the Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry, following a ruling that he was a victim of "extensive" phone hacking by Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) between 2006 and 2011.
Justice Fancourt determined that 15 stories about Prince Harry, published by MGN, employed unlawful information gathering methods, including phone hacking and the use of private investigators. Out of 33 articles submitted for consideration, the judge ruled that fewer than half used unlawful means for information gathering.
Prince Harry, along with three other claimants, filed a lawsuit against the British newspaper group, which publishes The Daily Mirror, The Sunday Mirror, and Sunday People, alleging that journalists hacked his phone and used illicit methods to collect information over a 15-year period.
In response to the ruling, the 39-year-old royal stated, "today is a great day for truth as well as accountability." He highlighted the court's determination that unlawful activities were carried out habitually and extensively by all three of MGN's newspaper titles over more than a decade.
Prince Harry mentioned the importance of a free and honest press, stating that despite the challenges, the mission to hold the press accountable continues.
This lawsuit is one of several brought by the Duke of Sussex against major UK newspaper publishers, including Rupert Murdoch’s News Group Newspapers and Daily Mail publishers Associated Newspapers Limited.
In a summary of the ruling, the judge noted that MGN began using phone hacking in 1996 and that from 2006 to 2011, the practice was extensive. However, he clarified that Prince Harry's phone was hacked only to a modest extent during those years.
An MGN spokesperson welcomed the judgment, stating that it provides clarity for the business to move forward from events that occurred many years ago. The spokesperson apologized for historical wrongdoing, acknowledged responsibility, and confirmed the payment of appropriate compensation.
Prince Harry made history by becoming the first senior member of the British royal family to give evidence on a witness stand in over 130 years when he appeared in the witness box in June. During the testimony, he expressed the distress caused by the press during his youth, emphasizing the destructive role MGN's articles played in his adolescence.
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