In a statement, News Group Newspapers (NGN) apologised to Prince Harry. This is the text:
NGN offers a full and unequivocal apology to the Duke of Sussex for the serious intrusion by the Sun between 1996 and 2011 into his private life, including incidents of unlawful activities carried out by private investigators working for the Sun.
NGN also offers a full and unequivocal apology to the Duke of Sussex for the phone hacking, surveillance and misuse of private information by journalists and private investigators instructed by them at the News of the World.
NGN further apologises to the Duke for the impact on him of the extensive coverage and serious intrusion into his private life as well as the private life of Diana, Princess of Wales, his late mother, in particular during his younger years. We acknowledge and apologise for the distress caused to the Duke, and the damage inflicted on relationships, friendships and family, and have agreed to pay him substantial damages.
It is also acknowledged, without any admission of illegality, that NGN’s response to the 2006 arrests and subsequent actions were regrettable.
NGN also offers a full and unequivocal apology to Lord Watson for the unwarranted intrusion carried out into his private life during his time in government by the News of the World during the period 2009- 2011.
This includes him being placed under surveillance in 2009 by journalists at the News of the World and those instructed by them. NGN also acknowledges and apologises for the adverse impact this had on Lord Watson’s family and has agreed to pay him substantial damages.
In addition, in 2011 News International received information that information was being passed covertly to Lord Watson from within News International. We now understand that this information was false, and Lord Watson was not in receipt of any such confidential information.
NGN apologises fully and unequivocally for this.
Reacting to the above apology, Impress, a press regulator, said:
How can the public trust an industry where invasions of privacy and coverups remain commonplace?
Having previously attempted to deny and deflect any wrongdoing, News Group Newspapers have now admitted to serious intrusion, phone hacking, misuse of private information and unlawful activities carried out by private investigators for the Sun and the News of the World against Prince Harry.
It is incredibly disheartening that, during a period when the Sun and NGN could have carried out in-depth reviews and implemented changes to the ethical practises of their journalists, they chose to litigate instead.
Prince Harry is in the privileged position of being able to afford to take a media giant like NGN to court and get an apology. The vast majority of the public, however, would have been financially ruined by taking a similar course of action.
This can no longer be dismissed as being the case of a few bad apples; self-regulation of the press has failed. Effective and truly independent regulation is the only way to stop these unethical practises which have been commonplace across the industry.
Impress holds its publishers to the highest standards in journalism and provides accessible avenues to justice for all. Without rigorous and transparent accountability, the world of journalism risks surrendering public trust forever.
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