King Charles has been posed with an “awkward dilemma” as his historic Coronation moves ever closer, according to GB News reporter Paul Hawkins.
It comes as the Duke’s case against NGN [News Group Newspapers] ramps up, with Harry claiming his brother, Prince William, settled a case against the same organisation for a “very large sum”.
NGN, which has paid out millions to settle over a thousand phone-hacking cases, is attempting to override Harry’s claim, along with British actor Hugh Grant, arguing they should have taken action sooner.
GB News’ Paul Hawkins believes the timing of the affair couldn’t have come at a worst time for King Charles who is continuing to prepare for his Coronation, an event which Harry will be present at.
Prince William and Prince Harry have no plans for crunch talksPAHe said: “it’s awkward for King Charles, coming so close to his Coronation. Harry has made allegations in the past that the Royal Family have done a deal against News UK.
“We’re expecting the NGN’s lawyers to argue that because it has taken so long to bring the claim, these are allegations relating to the early 2000s, that in effect, these allegations don’t need to be taken to court.
“His lawyers have argued that the NGN have made attempts to conceal the evidence.”
In documents before the court, David Sherborne, representing Harry, said the late Queen was involved in “discussions and authorisation” of the agreement, which was that members of the Royal Family would not pursue claims against the NGN until after the conclusion of the litigation over hacking.
Sherborne said in written arguments that the agreement “meant that the claimant could not bring a claim against NGN for phone hacking at that time”.
He added: “It was agreed directly between these parties, as opposed to their lawyers … that at the conclusion of the Mobile Telephone Voicemail Interception Litigation (MTVIL) News would admit or settle such a claim with an apology.
“In 2017, the claimant and the institution began to push for the outstanding claim to be resolved.
“However, News filibustered in relation to this until, in 2019, the claimant had enough and issued his claim.”
Sherborne said William has “recently settled his claim against NGN behind the scenes”.
Kensington Palace declined to comment on behalf of the Prince of Wales.
In part of a witness statement prepared for Tuesday’s hearing, the Duke of Sussex said: “My brother and I were also told by either the institution’s solicitor … or someone else from the institution that there was no possibility of either of us bringing a claim against NGN for phone hacking at that time.
“The rationale behind this was that a secret agreement had been reached between the institution and senior executives at NGN whereby members of the royal family would bring phone hacking claims only at the conclusion of the Mobile Telephone Voicemail Interception Litigation and at that stage the claims would be admitted or settled with an apology.“The reason for this was to avoid the situation where a member of the royal family would have to sit in the witness box and recount the specific details of the private and highly sensitive voicemails that had been intercepted by Clive Goodman.
“The institution was incredibly nervous about this and wanted to avoid at all costs the sort of reputational damage that it had suffered in 1993 when The Sun and another tabloid had unlawfully obtained and published details of an intimate telephone conversation that took place between my father and stepmother in 1989, while he was still married to my mother.
“This agreement, including the promises from NGN for delayed resolution was, obviously, a major factor as to why no claim was brought by me at that time.”
