phone hacking

Rupert Murdoch’s British tabloid papers are accused of bugging Prince Harry’s landline phones and accessing messages on Princess Diana’s pager, as stated by Prince Harry’s legal team in London’s High Court. Prince Harry and over 40 others are suing News Group Newspapers (NGN) for alleged unlawful activities by its journalists and private investigators, involving the Sun and the defunct News of the World, from the mid-1990s until 2016. A ruling by Judge Timothy Fancourt allowed Harry’s claims of unlawful information gathering to proceed to trial, but dismissed allegations of old mobile phone hacking for being filed too late. Harry’s lawyers aim to amend his lawsuit to include new allegations, such as the Sun targeting his then-girlfriend Meghan in 2016 and widespread bugging of his calls. The claim also involves allegations about Princess Diana’s surveillance and call interception by NGN, known to its editors and senior executives. NGN has objected to these new allegations, citing various reasons including lateness and lack of evidence. In 2011, NGN apologized for phone-hacking by News of the World journalists and settled over 1,300 claims, but denies wrongdoing by Sun staff. Harry’s lawyers have accused Murdoch and senior executives of covering up wrongdoing and giving false evidence. NGN argues some claimants are attacking the tabloid press, and denies allegations against its staff. Since moving to California in 2020, Harry has focused on battling the British press for intruding into his private life. In December, he won a lawsuit against Mirror Group Newspaper for phone-hacking and unlawful activities.