The owner of the Sun newspaper offers a "full and unequivocal apology" to Prince Harry for "serious intrusion" into his private life from 1996 to 2011, and agrees to pay him "substantial damages"
It settles a long-running legal battle between the prince and the newspaper group, moments before a trial was due to begin in the High Court
News Group Newspapers (NGN) also apologises for serious intrusion into the private life of Harry's late mother, Princess Diana - read the apology in full here
In a further statement, NGN says there are "strong controls and processes in place at all our titles today to ensure this cannot happen now"
The BBC understands the legal fees for the Sun's owner, Prince Harry and Tom Watson totals £10 million - which is expected to be paid by NGN
Prince Harry's lawyer, David Sherborne, calls it a "monumental victory" - and accuses current NGN executives of "obstructing justice"
Prince Harry will feel vindicated, but NGN has avoided its worst-case scenario of a full-blown trial, our correspondent Dominic Casciani writes from court
Former Labour deputy leader Tom Watson also receives an apology for "unwarranted intrusion" - and calls on the police and Parliament to investigate further. But NGN says "today's settlement draws a line under the past"
Watch: Prince Harry's lawyer hails 'monumental' victory against News Group Newspapers
Image source, Getty ImagesAway from the London High Court, Rupert Murdoch, who owns News Corp, attended Donald Trump's inauguration on Washington DC yesterday.
News Group Newspapers [NGN] is the British press arm of his media empire.
Image source, ReutersActor Hugh Grant is one of many celebrities who have settled with News Group Newspapers over the past few years
News Group Newspapers (NGN) has settled cases brought by some 1,300 claimants, costing around £1bn including legal costs.
Actor Hugh Grant settled a privacy case against NGN last year - a case in which he claimed journalists had used private investigators to tap his phone and burgle his house. NGN denied the claims against it.
He said he "did not want to accept" the "enormous sum of money" he had been offered to settle, but that a trial was likely to prove "very expensive".
Actress Sienna Miller and former footballer Paul Gascoigne agreed a settlement in 2021 with NGN over alleged phone hacking. NGN did not admit any liability in relation to allegations of phone hacking at The Sun newspaper.
Other celebrities to have settled cases include actresses Julia and Nadia Sawalha and Michelle Collins, ex-television presenter Dani Behr, singer Dane Bowers, and former Coronation Street actor Richard Fleeshman.
Two claimants are now left: the Duke of Sussex and Lord Tom Watson.
Imogen James
Reporting from the High Court
You would be forgiven if you thought this was the next instalment of the very public phone hacking case involving Prince Harry that took place over the last few years.
However, that case was against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) - a different group of publishers.
Prince Harry successfully argued that MGN had gathered information on him in unlawful ways, from 1996 to 2010, and MGN had to cover all of the Duke's legal costs, and more than £300,000 in damages.
After the judgement, an MGN spokesperson said: "Where historical wrongdoing took place, we apologise unreservedly, have taken full responsibility and paid compensation.".
Prince Harry also tried to bring phone hacking claims in this new case against News Group Newspapers - which includes The Sun - but he wasn't allowed due to time limitations.
Instead, this case will focus on 30 articles, which Prince Harry's team say were gained unlawfully. They will also argue that senior staff were involved in a cover-up, alleging they knew about the unlawful practices.
Sean Coughlan
Royal correspondent
Prince Harry will not be appearing at court in London for the first day of the News Group Newspapers hearing.
But he will be flying over from the US to give evidence, most likely next month.
This trial is going to be a marathon rather than a sprint. But when Prince Harry does appear it’s going to be one of the most dramatic moments in this courtroom showdown.
It made huge headlines when he appeared in a previous legal battle against the Mirror Group Newspapers in 2023 - becoming the first royal in modern times to go into the witness stand in this way.
He’s shown he’s ready to handle questions and he’s poised for another round.
Image source, ReutersPrince Harry has accused British tabloids of unlawfully intruding into his life.
His legal battle marks the first time that News Group Newspapers (NGN) has had to defend itself against allegations that its journalists and executives across the organisation were involved in or knew about unlawful newsgathering techniques.
NGN long ago apologised for unlawful practices at the News of the World newspaper, but denies similar claims against The Sun - and Prince Harry's wider allegation of a corporate-wide cover-up.
It has settled cases brought by some 1,300 claimants, to the tune of around £1bn including legal costs. Those settlements left just two claimants - Prince Harry and former Labour deputy leader Tom Watson.
When he launched his claim, Prince Harry alleged that more than 200 articles published by NGN between 1996 and 2011 contained information gathered by illegal means. The trial will look at a sample of around 30 stories in detail.
The second claimant, Lord Watson, says his phone was targeted around the time he was investigating the Murdoch newspapers at the height of the scandal almost 15 years ago.
Imogen James
Reporting from the High Court
I’m waiting inside the Rolls Building after battling through the commuter-filled streets of Holborn.
I walked past huddles of camera crews outside, although Prince Harry will not appear in court today.
I’m joined by a large group of press gathered outside the courtroom doors, where seats are limited.
Everyone is vying for a place.
We’re all waiting for the highly anticipated case to kick off today, where Prince Harry and Lord Watson will argue against News Group Newspapers.
Stay tuned.
Barbara Tasch
Live editor
Good morning and welcome to our coverage as an eight-week trial opens this morning at the High Court in London where Prince Harry will allege that the Sun - and its owner News Group Newspapers (NGN) - were involved in unlawful newsgathering.
The former Labour MP, Lord Watson, is also involved in the case and claims NGN used voicemail interception.
The Duke of Sussex's legal battle against British tabloids for allegedly unlawfully intruding into his life reaches its most important moment today when his claims against the Sun and the long-closed News of the World come to trial.
They are the final two claimants in a case that has spanned almost two decades.
NGN long ago apologised for unlawful practices at the News of the World and closed it down in 2011. It denies similar claims against the Sun and Harry's wider allegation of a corporate-wide cover-up.
We've got reporters at the High Court to bring you the latest updates, so stay with us.