Prince Harry's privacy lawsuit against The Sun tabloid publisher faced a ruling in the High Court, where Judge Timothy Fancourt made a decision on the expansion of the case. The judge ruled against including allegations involving Rupert Murdoch and other executives in an effort to conceal and destroy evidence of unlawful information gathering. This ruling marked a mixed outcome for the Duke of Sussex in his ongoing legal battles against British tabloids.
While rejecting some of Harry's proposed amendments, Fancourt did allow the prince to add claims against journalists and private investigators for allegedly using unlawful methods to obtain information about him. However, the judge deemed allegations against Murdoch as not adding significant value to the case against News Group Newspapers (NGN), as key figures like James Murdoch and Rebekah Brooks were already implicated.
Fancourt highlighted that some of Harry's attempts to implicate other executives seemed to serve a political agenda rather than strengthening the case. The judge emphasized that targeting 'trophy' individuals would not enhance the claims against those already involved in the wrongdoing.
News UK's CEO, Rebekah Brooks, and former News Corp. executive James Murdoch were mentioned in the ruling, with Rupert Murdoch stepping down from his leadership roles in 2020. Both sides claimed partial victory in the ruling preceding the upcoming trial, with the defense gaining an advantage on the argued issues.
News Group welcomed the decision and referenced its 2011 apology for voicemail interception by the now-defunct News of the World. The company stated that it had settled numerous claims related to phone hacking, although The Sun had not admitted liability.
The legal proceedings also involved actor Hugh Grant, who settled his lawsuit against The Sun, citing concerns about potential legal costs even if he won at trial. Attorney David Sherborne hinted at a similar scenario for Prince Harry, who has another case pending against the owner of the Daily Mail.
Harry previously succeeded in a trial against Mirror Group Newspapers, where phone hacking practices were deemed 'widespread and habitual.' Apart from the court judgment, he settled remaining allegations, including legal fees.
