Prince Harry and Others Seek to Amend Lawsuit Against Murdoch’s Tabloids

Lawyers representing Prince Harry and a group of more than 40 other claimants are looking to make changes to their legal action in London against Rupert Murdoch's tabloid newspapers in the United Kingdom.

The aim is to assert that the media mogul played a direct role in concealing wrongful actions.

The lawsuit targets newsgroup newspapers for alleged unlawful breaches of privacy committed by their tabloids, The Sun and the now-defunct News of the World, spanning from the mid-1990s to 2016.

Among the claimants are notable figures such as filmmaker Guy Ritchie, actor Hugh Grant, former senior politicians, and activist Doreen Lawrence, who, alongside Prince Harry, is also part of a separate legal battle against the publisher of the Daily Mail.

Scheduled to commence in January, the case against NGN is set to go to trial, anticipated to last up to eight weeks.

In a recent development, lawyers representing the claimants approached Judge Timothy Fancourt seeking approval to introduce fresh allegations into their case against NGN.

These include claims that senior executives provided misleading testimony to Parliament and a public inquiry.

It is alleged that Rupert Murdoch, at 93 years old, knowingly presented false information, while Rebecca Brooks, the chief executive of News UK, News Corp's newspaper division in the country, purportedly lied or provided deliberately deceptive statements during her criminal trial in 2014.

Additionally, Will Lewis, a former News International executive now serving as the publisher of the Washington Post, was implicated in the alleged cover-up.

Responding to these accusations, an NGN spokesperson dismissed the claims made by the claimants against current and former NGN staff as baseless attacks on their credibility.

The spokesperson emphasized that these allegations do not pertain to seeking compensation for victims of phone hacking or illegal data collection and should be approached with caution.

NGN's legal representatives argued that the new allegations, which involve around 200 journalists, executives, and private investigators, are unwarranted, disproportionate, and irrelevant.

The ongoing legal saga raises intriguing questions, such as whether Prince Harry could potentially take legal action against himself and his spouse for breaching his privacy.

The focus remains on how Prince Harry will navigate putting Murdoch in the hot seat, not due to any lack of merit on Murdoch's part.

While acknowledging previous legal disputes involving Murdoch, including a lawsuit by Smartmatic, the spotlight now shifts to the dynamics between Harry and the media magnate.

It appears that Harry perceives himself as constantly battling against perceived injustices, with a particular emphasis on outdoing his brother, Prince William, who has faced his own share of media scrutiny and legal battles.

Beyond a personal vendetta against Rupert Murdoch and Piers Morgan, Prince Harry's legal maneuvers also serve as a means to challenge the monarchy itself.

Allegations suggest that Queen Elizabeth II engaged in confidential discussions regarding legal actions against NGN and supposedly endorsed Prince Harry's pursuit of legal recourse back in 2018.

However, these claims lack substantiation and emerged only after the Queen's passing, rendering them unverifiable.

Furthermore, Prince Harry's legal filings insinuate that his father, Prince Charles, obstructed his efforts to seek justice, pressuring him to abandon plans for legal action to safeguard the royal family's reputation.

Prince Harry's contentions extend to his belief that the royal family's reluctance to engage in lawsuits was not a factor until after his highly publicized experiences with Meghan Markle.

Disregarding past settlements offered to members of the royal family, including a $200,000 proposal to Prince Harry, which he declined due to dissatisfaction with the amount compared to his brother's settlement, Prince Harry remains steadfast in his pursuit of justice.

By challenging norms and traditions within the monarchy, Prince Harry's legal battles underscore deeper tensions within the royal household, particularly concerning his strained relationship with Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.