Tabloid Hacked Prince Harry’s Phone and Must Pay Damages

This article was last updated on December 15, 2023

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British Tabloid Found Guilty of Hacking Prince Harry

The British tabloid newspaper The Mirror has been found guilty of hacking Prince Harry and must pay damages of more than 140,000 pounds (160,000 euros). Britain’s highest court ruled that Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) wrote articles between 2003 and 2009 based on information obtained illegally.

A total of 15 of 33 examined articles published by MGN were “the product of phone hacking or other unlawful information gathering,” the Supreme Court said today. Judge Fancourt said the amount MGN must pay is modest but “it also reflects the pain the Duke of Sussex has experienced as a result of MGN concealing the misconduct”. Harry had demanded more than half a million euros.

The judge further said that he has determined that the phones of the prince’s employees were also targeted by MGN.

Prince Harry Demands Justice

Today’s long-awaited ruling has been months in coming. The trial started in May. Prince Harry himself published in June in court, making him the highest-ranking member of the royal family to appear on the witness stand in modern times.

The headlines in the case focused mainly on Prince Harry, but three other public figures were involved: soap actor Michael Le Vell (real name Michael Turner), actress Nikki Sanderson, and Fiona Wightman, an ex-wife of actor and comedian Paul Whitehouse.

The four cases were chosen by the judge to assist the court in determining the amount of damages that Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) must pay.

Call for Criminal Investigation

The High Court could now also consider other celebrity cases including former Girls Aloud singer Cheryl Cole, George Michael’s heirs, actor Ricky Tomlinson, and former Arsenal footballer Ian Wright.

Prince Harry has said he is happy with the judge’s ruling. In a statement read outside the court by his lawyer, he called on police to launch a criminal investigation against the newspaper group.

A spokesperson for MGN said the publisher welcomes the judgment and that it “provides the clarity necessary” to move forward “after events that occurred many years ago.” “Where historical misconduct has occurred, we apologize unreservedly, have taken full responsibility and paid appropriate compensation,” the spokesperson said.

Elton John

The Mirror Group has admitted in the past that its titles were involved in phone hacks. In more than 600 cases this led to settlements, but in the case of Prince Harry, the publisher insisted that there is no evidence that he was also a victim.

The prince has also filed a lawsuit against tabloid Daily Mail over various privacy violations. In November, the High Court in London ruled that a lawsuit may continue after the publisher tried to block the lawsuit.

Singer Elton John and actress Elizabeth Hurley also accuse publisher Associated Newspapers of violating their privacy between 1993 and 2011.