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The Duke of Sussex has settled his remaining phone hacking claims against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN).
Sources say the publishers will pay all of Prince Harry’s legal costs, plus around an additional £300,000 in damages.
The settlement, related to allegations of illegal intrusion into 115 stories, marks the end of a four-year battle between the prince and the publisher.
Speaking at the High Court on behalf of the prince, barrister David Sherborne said: “Our mission continues.”
The lawyer also criticized former Daily Mirror editor Piers Morgan, who, he claimed, “as editor, knew perfectly well what was going on.”
The 115 stories were published between 1996 and 2010, and Prince Harry spent two days in court last June being questioned over his claims that the information could only have been obtained illegally.
Then in December, the court ruled there was evidence of “widespread and habitual” use of phone hacking in the group.
Morgan, who was editor of the newspaper between 1995 and 2004, has repeatedly denied any knowledge of any attempt by newspaper staff to hack phones. As he has not worked for MGN for 20 years, he is not personally responsible for any of the claims and was not involved in the legal process.
In a statement published in Xsaid: “I completely agree with Prince Harry that the ruthless intrusion into the private lives of the royal family for financial gain is absolutely reprehensible… and I hope he stops.”
Meanwhile, Judge Fancourt criticized the “extremely adversarial manner” in which both sides approached this legal battle.
In December, the duke was awarded £140,600 in damages after winning 15 claims against MGN. Friday’s settlement relates to claims over 115 more stories.
His lawyer, Mr Sherborne, told the court his client will receive a “substantial additional sum in damages” from MGN – now owned by Reach PLC – on top of all his legal costs.
The BBC understands that the damages the prince will receive could be around £300,000 in total.
The publisher, for its part, was pleased to have reached the agreement, which allows it to “move forward from events that took place many years ago and for which we have apologized.”
After the December ruling, an MGN spokesperson said: “When historical irregularities occurred, we apologized unreservedly, took full responsibility and paid compensation.”
Watch: Harry’s lawyer David Sherborne read a statement outside court
The duke was one of several high-profile figures to launch claims against MGN, accusing the publisher of the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror and Sunday People of unlawful intrusion into their private lives to obtain stories.
Thirty-three articles of Prince Harry’s claim were examined during last year’s trial, and 15 of them were found to have been the product of illegal information gathering.
The additional 115 items agreed to on Friday could have been subject to a new trial if a deal had not been reached.
Reading a statement on behalf of Prince Harry outside court, Sherborne said the court’s ruling was “extremely damning.”
“In light of all this, we once again call on the authorities to respect the rule of law and demonstrate that no one is above it.”
The statement added that they should include the former editor of the Daily Mirror, Piers Morgan, “who knew perfectly well what was happening, as the judge held.”
“Even his own employer realized that he simply could not call him as a witness to the truth,” the statement continued.
“His disregard for the court’s ruling and his continued attacks since then demonstrate why it was so important to obtain a clear and detailed ruling.”
The statement ends by saying that “our mission continues” and that the prince “will continue to see it through to the end.”
Coronation Street actor Michael Turner, known professionally as Michael Le Vell, actress Nikki Sanderson and Fiona Wightman, ex-wife of comedian Paul Whitehouse, had also filed similar claims against the company.
The claims brought by Ms Sanderson and Ms Wightman were dismissed because they were brought too late, even though the judge found some of their claims to be proven.
Judge Fancourt ruled that both should pay MGN the legal costs of defending their individual claims.
The judge also ruled that Turner should pay MGN’s costs of responding to its claim from the date of March 5, 2022, when an offer was made.
Judge Fancourt, a veteran of wiretapping allegations, criticized the way this legal battle was conducted.
Some plaintiffs refused to negotiate with the MGN, he said, and unrealistically exaggerated their accusations.
Prince Harry did not appear in court on Friday, having returned to the United States this week after visiting his father, King Charles, following his cancer diagnosis.
The prince has been a long-standing and outspoken critic of the British tabloid press.
He has been involved in a series of legal battles in recent years, with several still to be resolved, including allegations of illegal information gathering by the Sun’s publisher, News Group Newspapers, which is due to go to trial in 2025.