LIVE – Updated at 16:00

Prince Harry has won the latest round in his court case against the publisher of the Sun newspaper, after a High Court judge rejected an application to delay the trial.

In the latest ruling, judge dismissed NGN’s request to push back the trial listed for next January, saying it would be “unsatisfactory” to delay proceedings to instead hold a narrower preliminary trial to decide if cases had been brought too late.

The Duke of Sussex alleges he was targeted by journalists and private investigators working for NGN, which also published the now-defunct News Of The World.

It comes just two days after actor Hugh Grant revealed he had settled his case against the tabloid’s publisher due to the risk of running a £10m legal cost if the case went to trial.
David Sherborne, Harry’s lawyer, said that the former working royal is subject to the same issues and that the offers made make it “impossible for them to go ahead”.

In a statement on X, Mr Grant said he had not wanted to accept the money from the Rupert Murdoch owned group, but was warned that if awarded damages “even a penny less” than the settlement offer, he would be forced to pay the legal costs of both sides.

Key Points
The Sun publisher loses bid to push back full High Court trial listed for January 2025
Harry may be forced to settle claim against Sun publisher due to legal costs
Hugh Grant says he was offered an ‘enormous sum of money’ by NGN
Prince Harry cuts ties with UK as he formally makes the US his home
The Americanisation of Prince Harry is almost complete
16:00 , Holly Evans
It appears as though it’s finally time for the UK to bid a (not entirely) fond farewell to Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex.

For those of us who thought he’d already become resident in the United States of America, the “news” is that he’s actually backdated his official residency there to the date on which his dad turfed him out of Frogmore Cottage on the Windsor estate, a substantial property which was basically a rarely used second home.

So, it’s really what we press people call a further “snub” to his father, mother-in-law, brother and sister-in-law – and, indeed, a further sign that he’s gone to California for good. No doubt he’ll soon enough acquire a west coast accent to go with his easy-living, glamorous surroundings, and become more and more estranged from his family and his homeland.

Read the full article by Sean O’Grady here:

The Americanisation of Prince Harry is almost complete | Sean O’Grady

Full statement from NGN
15:30 , Holly Evans
A spokesperson for NGN said earlier this week: “In 2011, an unreserved apology was made by NGN to victims of voicemail interception by the News Of The World. Since then, NGN has been paying financial damages to those with proper claims.

“As we reach the tail end of litigation, NGN is drawing a line under disputed matters, some of which date back more than 20 years ago. In some cases, it has made commercial sense for both parties to come to a settlement agreement before trial to bring a resolution to the matter.

“There are a number of disputed claims still going through the civil courts, some of which seek to involve The Sun. The Sun does not accept liability or make any admissions to the allegations.

“A judge recently ruled that parts of Mr Grant’s claim were out of time and we have reached agreement to settle the remainder of the case.

“This has been done without admission of liability. It is in both parties’ financial interests not to progress to a costly trial.”

All of Prince Harry’s ongoing legal battles explained from phone hacking to personal security
15:00 , Holly Evans
The Duke of Sussex has won his latest legal skirmish in his battle against the Sun publisher, after the High Court rejected delaying a trial that has been scheduled for next January.

Prince Harry alleges he was targeted by journalists and private investigators working for News Group Newspapers (NGN) over the course of nearly two decades.

Despite a judge rejecting the publisher’s application to hold a preliminary trial, the royal may be forced to settle his claims because of the risks of high legal costs.

It comes just days after the 39-year-old prince lost his latest round in his case against the Home Office, after he was denied an initial attempt to appeal against a High Court decision which supported a reduction in his personal security arrangements.

Read the full article here:

All of Prince Harry’s ongoing legal battles from phone hacking to personal security

Hugh Grant says he got ‘enormous sum’ to settle suit alleging illegal snooping by The Sun tabloid
14:30 , Holly Evans
Hugh Grant received “an enormous sum of money” to settle a lawsuit accusing The Sun tabloid of unlawfully tapping his phone, bugging his car and breaking into his home to snoop on him, the actor said Wednesday after the agreement was announced in court.

Grant, who along with Prince Harry had sued News Group Newspapers, said he settled reluctantly because he could have been stuck with a huge legal bill even if he prevailed at trial. Under civil court rules, he would have had to pay legal fees to both sides if he was awarded a penny less than the settlement offer.

“As is common with entirely innocent people, they are offering me an enormous sum of money to keep this matter out of court,” Grant said on the social media platform X. “Even if every allegation is proven in court, I would still be liable for something approaching 10 million pounds ($12.4 million) in costs. I’m afraid I am shying at that fence.”

Read the full article here:

Hugh Grant says he got ‘enormous sum’ to settle suit alleging illegal snooping by The Sun tabloid

Prince Harry ‘faces legal bill of £1 million’ after High Court security battle over his security
14:00 , Holly Evans
Prince Harry is facing an estimated legal bill of around £1m after losing a High Court challenge against the government over taxpayer-funded security while he is in the UK.

The Duke of Sussex had taken the Home Office to court after it cut spending on his personal security, with the 39-year-old claiming the decision, made in 2020, could put him at risk.

But retired High Court judge Sir Peter Lane rejected the prince’s case in a ruling and has since ordered that the duke pay 90 per cent of the Home Office’s legal costs.

Read the full article here:

Prince Harry ‘faces legal bill of £1 million’ after High Court security battle

Full story: Sun publisher loses bid to push back full trial of legal challenges
13:12 , Holly Evans
The publisher of The Sun has lost a bid to push back a potential full High Court trial of unlawful information gathering claims brought by the Duke of Sussex and others.

Harry, 39, alleges he was targeted by journalists and private investigators working for News Group Newspapers (NGN).

He is among 42 existing cases against the publisher, with a full trial of some of the claims, which could include the duke, due to take place in January next year.

Read the full article here:

Sun publisher loses bid to push back full trial of legal challenges

What did lawyers for NGN argue?
12:16 , Holly Evans
Anthony Hudson KC, for NGN, said the allegations it faced dated from between eight and 29 years before claims started – with the earliest allegedly happening in 1993.

These cover allegations of phone hacking, blagging information, using private investigators, burglaries and bugging, the court has heard.

While the 42 outstanding claims, including Prince Harry’s, allege wrongdoing between 1993 and 2012, legal cases of this nature usually have to be brought within six years.

A trial on the timing issue would not have determined the full details of the allegations NGN faces, and could have resulted in findings that some claims are “time-barred” and therefore dismissed.

NGN’s lawyers argued this approach was the “most efficient” way of dealing with cases and could “promote” settlements, but the legal team for Harry and others said it would be “highly disruptive and prejudicial” and cause “substantial delay”.

What has happened so far in today’s hearing?
11:24 , Holly Evans
During a hearing at the High Court on Friday, a judge dismissed the Sun publisher’s bid to push back a full potential High Court trial which has been listed for January.

News Group Newspapers (NGN) had asked the judge to hold a narrower-in-scope preliminary trial which would instead decide if the cases had been brought too late, with Prince Harry’s claims extending as far back as 1996.

Their lawyers said the court should first determine whether those bringing cases could have known they had a “worthwhile” claim six years before they issued theirs.

They argued this approach was the “most efficient” way of dealing with cases and could “promote” settlements, but the legal team for Harry and others said it would be “highly disruptive and prejudicial” and cause “substantial delay”.

In the latest ruling, Mr Justice Fancourt dismissed NGN’s request.

The Sun publisher loses bid to push back full High Court trial listed for January 2025
10:55 , Holly Evans
The publisher of The Sun has lost a bid to push back a potential full High Court trial of unlawful information gathering claims brought by the Duke of Sussex and others.

He is among a number of people to bring cases against the publisher, with a full trial of some of the claims, which could include the duke, due to take place in January next year.

At a hearing earlier this week, NGN asked a judge to instead hold a narrower-in-scope preliminary trial that month to decide whether the cases against it have been brought too late and outside a legal time limit.

In a ruling on Friday, Mr Justice Fancourt dismissed NGN’s request.

The publisher has previously denied unlawful activity took place at The Sun.

Hugh Grant not the first celebrity to settle case against the Sun publisher
10:47 , Holly Evans
In December 2021, actress Sienna Miller settled her case over allegations of voicemail interception and misuse of private information against NGN for “substantial damages”, with the publisher making no admission of liability.

The actress said she wanted to “expose the criminality that runs through the heart of this corporation”, adding: “Unfortunately that legal recourse is not available to me or to anyone who does not have countless millions of pounds to spend on the pursuit of justice.”

A full trial of some of the 42 existing claims against NGN, including Harry’s, is due to take place in January next year.

Case against the Sun just days after Harry loses latest round of court battle over UK security arrangements
10:24 , Holly Evans
His case against the Sun comes just days after the Duke of Sussex lost his bid to appeal after losing his battle with the Home Office over his personal security arrangements when he visits the UK.

Prince Harry has now been ordered to pay 90 per cent of the Home Office’s legal costs for defending his challenge, which came after he was told he would no longer be given the “same degree” of publicly funded protection when in the country.

He took legal action over the February 2020 decision after he quit his royal duties and moved to the US.

Read the full article here:

Prince Harry loses latest round of court battle over personal security in the UK

Why was Hugh Grant ‘at risk of £10m in costs’ in case against The Sun publisher?
10:13 , Holly Evans
Hugh Grant has said he settled his High Court claim against The Sun newspaper’s publisher due to the risk of facing a £10 million legal bill if his case went to trial.

In a series of posts on X on Wednesday, the actor said he had been offered an “enormous sum of money” by News Group Newspapers (NGN) to settle his claim over allegations of unlawful information gathering.

Mr Grant had brought legal action against News Group Newspapers (NGN) in relation to The Sun only, alleging he was targeted by journalists and private investigators, having previously settled a claim with the publisher in 2012 relating to the News Of The World

Read the full article here:

Why was Hugh Grant ‘at risk of £10m in costs’ in case against The Sun publisher?

Why might the duke have to settle his legal claim?
10:07 , Holly Evans
Prince Harry may be forced to settle his claim against the Sun publisher ahead of its scheduled trial in January 2025.

It comes after actor Hugh Grant settled his case due to the risk of facing a £10 million legal bill if his case went to trial.

The Notting Hill star said that, while he did not wish to settle his case, “the rules around civil litigation mean that if I proceed to trial and the court awards me damages that are even a penny less than the settlement offer, I would have to pay the legal costs of both sides”.

Tamsin Allen, head of media and information law at Bindmans, said usually “the loser pays the winner’s costs”, but that a regulation designed to encourage settlements before trial that can change this.

She said: “When the newspaper makes an offer to pay a certain amount of money in damages, the judge doesn’t see the offer.

“Costs almost always exceed damages, sometimes by hundreds of thousands of pounds.

“So, instead of receiving damages, the winner can find themselves paying out enormous sums to their beaten opponent.”

Prince Harry cuts ties with UK as he formally makes the US his home
09:55 , Holly Evans
Prince Harry has changed his primary country of residence from the UK to the US, according to official documents.

The Duke of Sussex also appears to have backdated his official American residency to the day he was booted out of Frogmore Cottage, in an apparant swipe at his father, King Charles, and brother William.

The change of address was filed for his eco firm Travalyst, on Wednesday, although the date of change listed is June 29 last year, the date he was asked by the King to to return the keys to his Windsor bolthole.

Read the full article from Emma Guinness here:

Prince Harry cuts ties with UK as he formally makes the US his home

News Group Newspapers say it is in both their and Mr Grant’s interests to not proceed to costly trial
09:53 , Holly Evans
A spokesperson for NGN said: “In 2011, an unreserved apology was made by NGN to victims of voicemail interception by the News Of The World. Since then, NGN has been paying financial damages to those with proper claims.

“As we reach the tail end of litigation, NGN is drawing a line under disputed matters, some of which date back more than 20 years ago. In some cases, it has made commercial sense for both parties to come to a settlement agreement before trial to bring a resolution to the matter.

“There are a number of disputed claims still going through the civil courts, some of which seek to involve The Sun. The Sun does not accept liability or make any admissions to the allegations.

“A judge recently ruled that parts of Mr Grant’s claim were out of time and we have reached agreement to settle the remainder of the case. This has been done without admission of liability. It is in both parties’ financial interests not to progress to a costly trial.”

Hugh Grant says he was offered an ‘enormous sum of money’ by NGN
09:44 , Holly Evans
In a series of X posts made during the hearing in London, Mr Grant said he wanted to see his allegations that NGN was involved in the burglary of his flat, bugging his car, blagging medical records and other unlawful activity “tested in court”.

The actor said he was offered “an enormous sum of money to keep this matter out of court” that he did not want to accept.

He added: “But the rules around civil litigation mean that if I proceed to trial and the court awards me damages that are even a penny less than the settlement offer, I would have to pay the legal costs of both sides.

“My lawyers tell me that that is exactly what would most likely happen here. Rupert Murdoch’s lawyers are very expensive. So even if every allegation is proven in court, I would still be liable for something approaching £10 million in costs. I’m afraid I am shying at that fence.”

Hugh Grant says he was offered an ‘enormous sum of money’ by NGN
09:43 , Holly Evans
In a series of X posts made during the hearing in London, Mr Grant said he wanted to see his allegations that NGN was involved in the burglary of his flat, bugging his car, blagging medical records and other unlawful activity “tested in court”.

The actor said he was offered “an enormous sum of money to keep this matter out of court” that he did not want to accept.

He added: “But the rules around civil litigation mean that if I proceed to trial and the court awards me damages that are even a penny less than the settlement offer, I would have to pay the legal costs of both sides.

“My lawyers tell me that that is exactly what would most likely happen here. Rupert Murdoch’s lawyers are very expensive. So even if every allegation is proven in court, I would still be liable for something approaching £10 million in costs. I’m afraid I am shying at that fence.”

Harry may be forced to settle claim against Sun publisher due to legal costs
09:34 , Holly Evans
The Duke of Sussex could be forced to settle his legal claim against The Sun’s publisher over alleged unlawful information gathering because of the risk of high legal costs, the High Court has been told.

Harry, 39, alleges he was targeted by journalists and private investigators working for News Group Newspapers (NGN), which also published the now-defunct News Of The World.

At a hearing on Wednesday, it was revealed that actor Hugh Grant had settled his case against NGN due to the risk of a £10 million legal bill if his case went to trial.

David Sherborne, representing Harry and others, told a judge in London that “the Duke of Sussex is subject to the same issues that Sienna Miller and Hugh Grant have been subject to, which is that the offers are made that make it impossible for them to go ahead”.

Read the full article here:

Prince Harry may be forced to settle claim against Sun publisher due to legal costs