Sun publisher apologise and go pay Prince Harry 'better' damages for invasion of privacy

Prince Harry don settle one legal case against di publisher of di Sun on top accuse of unlawful intrusion into im life afta dem agree to pay "big money for damages" plus tender "genuine apology".

Di Duke of Sussex bin allege say journalists and private investigators wey dey work for News Group Newspapers (NGN) use unlawful techniques to interfere on im private life - and executives come allegedly cover am up.

NGN apologise to Prince Harry for "serious intrusion" by di Sun between 1996 and 2011, and admit say private investigators wey dey work for di newspaper bin carry out "incidents of unlawful activity", for one statement dem read out for court.

Dem also apologise for di pain dem cause Harry through di "extensive coverage" and "serious intrusion" into di private life of im late mother, Princess Diana.

Di mention of di Sun inside NGN apology dey very very important. Prince Harry for no gree settle without am.

Up to now, News Group Newspapers still dey deny unlawful behaviour for di Sun.

Di statement no reveal how much di damages go be.

Di BBC understand say di settlements to Prince Harry and former Labour deputy leader Lord Tom Watson cost NGN more dan £10m in pay outs and legal fees.

In total NGN don spend about £1bn in damages and costs to those wey claim say di News of di World and di Sun hack dia phones plus invade dia privacy.

Dem announce di settlement afta barrister David Sherborne, wey dey represent Harry, ask di judge to delay di start of di High Court trial on Tuesday, as di two sides dey get possible settlement tok.

Wen e launch im claim, di Prince bin allege say NGN publish more dan 200 articles between 1996 and 2011 wey contain informate dem gada through illegal means.

E repeatedly say im want di case to go trial so dat im go fit get "accountability" for oda alleged victims of unlawful newsgathering of private information by NGN journalists.

NGN bin dey "surprised by di serious approach wey Prince Harry take for settlement in recent days", one source tell BBC.

One source wey dey close to di Duke of Sussex bin reply say di apology "provide all di insight you need".

Speaking outside court on behalf of Prince Harry, Oga Sherborne describe di settlement as "ogbonge victory", and add say dey "finally held to account for im illegal actions and im blatant disregard for di law".

Di apology also cover incidents of unlawful activities wey private investigators carry out wen dem dey work for di Sun newspaper from 1996-2011, di statement tok - but "not by journalists".

Di references to di Sun for di apology dey important, as without am, di prince for no settle.

NGN don already tok sorry for unlawful practices for di now-defunct News of di World, but dem previously deny similar claims against di Sun - and Prince Harry wider allegation of corporate-wide cover-up.

While dem admit no illegality, NGN acknowledge for dia apology on Wednesday say dia response to di arrests of dia staff for 2006 wey hack royal phones and those of celebrities - and dia subsequent actions - dey "regrettable".

Dem later arrest Journalist Clive Goodman and Glenn Mulcaire, one private investigator, on top accuse say dem intercept voicemails on phones wey belong to di Prince workers.

Oga Sherborne tok say many of di pipo wey allegedly dey behind dis "unlawful practice" still "siddon tight for senior positions today... wit full editorial power and still kontinu di toxic culture wia dem kontinu to excel".

By agreeing for settlement, NGN don avoid eight weeks of slowly revealed allegations.

Now di court no go test di claims say senior executives bin deliberately try to stop justice by deleting emails and dem follow to cover up evidence. NGN don "strongly deny" am.

And damaging headlines about press intrusion into di royal family plus di heart of government no go dey again.

Harry na12-year-old wen im mother, di Princess of Wales, die for one car crash for one Paris tunnel as paparazzi dey follow am.

E bin suggest say tabloid newspapers play role for her death, last year e tok say dem get "blood for dia hands".

Di Prince and tabloid press no get any good relationship, wey e tok last year say e dey "central" to di breakdown of im relationship wit di rest of di Royal Family.

Di Duke and Duchess of Sussex bin say dem dey end dia co-operation wit tabloid newspapers afta dem step back from dia Royal duties in 2020 - and Harry don since file oda legal cases against British tabloids.

E settle one case last year against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) as e allege say di publishers gada information on him in unlawful ways from 1996 to 2010.

MGN gatz cover all of di duke legal costs, and more dan £300,000 in damages.

Di oda pipo wey settle cases wit NGN

Prince Harry no be di first to settle case wit NGN.

In fact as Harry case bin dey go on, former Labour deputy leader Lord Tom Watson sef also receive apology for "unwarranted intrusion."

Odas include actor Hugh Grant, actress Sienna Miller, ex-footballer Paul Gascoigne, comic Catherine Tate Keith Allen, Mathew Horne, and Spice Girl Melanie Chisholm.

For 2021, Sienna Miller stand outside di Rolls Building of di High Court – di same court wia Prince Harry pursue im case against NGN - and say she wan go trial but no get "countless millions".

For 2019, Sir Elton John, Elizabeth Hurley and Heather Mills settle phone hacking claims against NGN.