Prince Harry has opted not to venture to London for the opening day of his legal confrontation with Rupert Murdoch's tabloid, The Sun, categorically dismissing assertions that he would be afforded "minimal police protection" during his visit. According to PEOPLE's insights, Harry will absent himself from the January 21st proceedings of the NGN trial but is penciled in to testify in court in February, effectively dismantling speculative claims regarding supposed security arrangements.
The Duke of Sussex's legal showdown with News Group Newspapers (NGN), the publisher behind The Sun, revolves around allegations of journalists and private investigators engaging in illegal information gathering. Harry, who is poised to testify later in the trial alongside former Labour MP Tom Watson, has accused NGN of phone hacking and other privacy breaches spanning from 1996 to 2011—a period when both The Sun and the now-discontinued News of the World purportedly had him in their sights. NGN has steadfastly denied any misconduct.
These revelations counteract recent reports claiming that Harry was poised to receive "restricted protection" from the Metropolitan Police despite his legal setback in securing security. Furthermore, it has emerged that Harry declined an offer to reside at Buckingham Palace this week. A source reportedly disclosed to The Mirror that accommodation at the royal residence was extended to Harry, but he opted against it.
Currently entangled in another legal skirmish, Harry is contesting a ruling from February last year that stripped him and his family of their automatic right to security. This initial decree was handed down in February 2020, following his and Meghan Markle's withdrawal from their roles as working royals. For over four years, Harry has taken this matter—which has exacerbated the ongoing rift between him and his father, King Charles—to court. Although he suffered an initial defeat in April, he is appealing the decision, with the case slated for hearing in the spring of 2025.
As his trial against UK tabloids commences this week, Prince Harry is poised to testify later in the legal proceedings, determined to see justice through. Just a month ago, he reaffirmed his commitment to his lawsuit, driven partly by his conviction that the conduct of a handful of journalists was eroding public faith in the media. Speaking at The New York Times' DealBook Summit in December, the Duke of Sussex emphatically stated, "I am the last bastion standing to ensure accountability." He further emphasized, "I refuse to let those journalists tarnish journalism for everyone; we are all reliant on it."
Initially one of approximately 40 plaintiffs suing Murdoch's publications, Harry now stands as one of the lone combatants in this battle, with scores of others having settled their claims. Prominent personalities and celebrities, such as actors Hugh Grant and Sienna Miller, were also entangled in this litigation, but they too have largely resolved their disputes. In April 2024, Grant disclosed his reasoning behind settling, explaining that even if victorious, he faced potential legal fees exceeding $10 million.
In a detailed thread on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, Grant detailed, "News Group insists on their innocence regarding the allegations I leveled against The Sun — phone hacking, illegal information gathering, tapping my landline, breaking into my flat and office, bugging my car, illegally obtaining my medical records, lying, perjury, and destroying evidence." He continued, "As is typical with those claiming innocence, they are offering me a substantial sum to avoid a court battle."
"I am reluctant to accept this money or settle. I yearn for the court to scrutinize all their denied allegations," he added. "However, civil litigation rules stipulate that if I proceed to trial and the court awards me damages even slightly less than the settlement offer, I'd be liable for the legal costs of both sides."
At the time, an NGN spokesperson issued a statement to PEOPLE, denying any liability in the settlement and asserting that resolving the case was "financially prudent for both parties to avoid a costly trial."
During a December conversation with The New York Times columnist and DealBook founder Andrew Ross Sorkin, Prince Harry revealed that Grant felt compelled to settle. He added, however, that his own motivations were different: "A principal reason for pushing through with this is accountability. I am the final bastion standing to secure it," as reported by The Observer newspaper on January 19.