Prince Harry’s court case settlement: A win for his lawyers instead?

The royal community has been abuzz this week after Prince Harry reached a dramatic settlement in his protracted legal battle with News Group Newspapers (NGN), the publisher of The Sun, reportedly securing a £10 million payout.

In a significant admission, NGN issued an “unreserved apology” to the Duke of Sussex for employing private investigators who engaged in unlawful methods to gather information about him between 1996 and 2011. 

This unexpected resolution marked the culmination of a six-year legal fight, which Harry initially vowed not to settle out of court.

Richard Eden, The Daily Mail’s Diary Editor, shared his thoughts on Palace Confidential, saying, “Harry is calling it a victory, and yes, it’s a win for the lawyers who’ve undoubtedly made a fortune. But for Harry? That’s less clear. The case was supposed to expose the misconduct in court, yet he settled for money, despite saying it wasn’t about the money.”

Harry’s legal representative, David Sherborne, hailed the outcome as a “historic admission of guilt” and credited Harry’s “sheer resilience” for achieving the apology and settlement. 

However, critics argue the settlement falls short of Harry’s initial objective of a public courtroom reckoning with NGN.

The case had become a symbol of Harry’s broader campaign against media intrusion, but the decision to accept a settlement has raised questions about whether this chapter represents a genuine triumph or a missed opportunity for justice.