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Prince Harry Accepts Apology And Cash Damages In Legal Dispute With UK Tabloid

By Michael Bamidele

01 February 2021   |   4:00 pm

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Prince Harry on Monday has accepted an apology and "substantial damages" from the publisher of The Mail On Sunday and MailOnline website over reports he snubbed soldiers after stepping down as a senior royal. Harry sued Associated Newspapers over two articles published in October that he had "not been in touch" with soldiers since his…

Prince Harry | Image: DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP via Getty Images

Prince Harry on Monday has accepted an apology and “substantial damages” from the publisher of The Mail On Sunday and MailOnline website over reports he snubbed soldiers after stepping down as a senior royal.

Harry sued Associated Newspapers over two articles published in October that he had “not been in touch” with soldiers since his last appearance as an honorary Marine in March.

The articles claimed that Harry had “not been in touch” with the force since his last appearance as an honorary Marine in March and that military leaders were considering replacing him as Captain-General of the Royal Marines.

But the Mail On Sunday printed an apology in December and made a donation to the prince’s charity after accepting Harry had in fact contacted the Royal Marines.

Harry, who served in the British Army for 10 years, including in Afghanistan, had been “personally affronted” by the articles, said papers he filed to the High Court in London.

Mandatory Credit: Photo by David Fisher/REX/Shutterstock (9753789x)<br />Queen Elizabeth II, Meghan Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry<br />100th Anniversary of the Royal Air Force, Westminster Abbey, London, UK – 10 Jul 2018

Lawyer Jenny Afia, representing Harry, said the prince “made repeated and concerted efforts to support the Royal Marines and other members of the armed forces and their families in the past year, even though he was required to step back from formal military roles”, said his lawyer Jenny Afia.

The articles “constituted not only a personal attack upon the Duke’s character but also wrongly brought into question his service to this country,” Afia said.

Judge Matthew Nicklin heard details of the settlement at a remote hearing on Monday. Harry’s lawyers said Associated Newspapers had accepted the allegations were false, “albeit after considerable damage was already done”.

It was not confirmed how much he was awarded in damages, however, Harry is donating the money to the Invictus Games Foundation, which runs the competition he set up in 2014 for wounded, injured, or sick servicemen and women.

Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle stepped down from royal duties early last year and have waged an increasingly bitter war with the media, particularly the tabloid press.