Duke of Sussex and Tom Watson hail ‘monumental victory’ after securing agreement with News Group Newspapers

• Prince Harry to receive ‘substantial damages’ after settling legal claim
• Duke says Sun publisher made ‘historic admission’

For Prince Harry it was a “monumental victory”; for publishers of the Sun it was an outcome “in the interest of all parties”. Regardless of either side’s take in the war of words that played out on Wednesday, it is clear that the settlement reached between Prince Harry and the Murdoch-owned News Group Newspapers (NGN) is a significant moment in the history of the British media.

By late morning an apology from NGN – agreed by both parties as part of a historic settlement deal in a longrunning legal dispute between the Duke of Sussex and the Sun’s publisher – was read out in court. It was, as the veteran hacks of Fleet Street might say, a marmalade-dropper of a moment.