As Prince Harry takes on Murdoch's U.K. group, court told that Prince Williams 'settled' phone-hacking claim

Prince Harry is suing Murdoch’s News Group Newspapers for multiple unlawful acts allegedly committed on behalf of its tabloids, while Prince William has settled a phone-hacking claim the U.K. newspaper arm for a “very large sum”

Britain's Prince William has settled a phone-hacking claim against Rupert Murdoch's U.K. newspaper arm for a "very large sum" after a secret deal struck with Buckingham Palace, lawyers for the heir's brother Prince Harry said in court documents.

Harry, the younger son of King Charles, is suing Murdoch's News Group Newspapers (NGN) at the High Court in London for multiple unlawful acts allegedly committed on behalf of its tabloids, the Sun and now defunct News of the World, from the mid-1990s until 2016.

During three days of preliminary hearings this week, NGN, which has paid out millions of pounds to settle more than a thousand phone-hacking cases, is seeking to strike out claims by the prince and British actor Hugh Grant, arguing they should have taken action sooner.

It also denies anyone from the Sun was involved in any unlawful activity.

In a submission to the court, Harry's legal team said the reason he had not brought action before was because a deal had been agreed between NGN and the "institution" — Buckingham Palace — to hold off any claims until the conclusion of other outstanding phone-hacking litigation.

"In responding to this bid by NGN to prevent his claims going to trial, the claimant has had to make public the details of this secret agreement, as well as the fact that his brother, His Royal Highness, Prince William, has recently settled his claim against NGN behind the scenes," his lawyers said.

They added NGN had settled with William "for a very large sum of money in 2020". William's office said it could not comment on ongoing legal proceedings.