The Duke of Sussex has accepted an apology and substantial damages from the publishers of the Mail on Sunday and Mail Online over claims he 'turned his back' on the Royal Marines. Two articles alleged Prince Harry had not been in touch with the Marines after stepping down as a senior royal.
In a statement to the High Court, a lawyer for Harry called the allegation 'baseless, false and defamatory'. The prince will donate the damages to the Invictus Games Foundation, his lawyer said.
Harry sued Associated Newspapers for libel over two 'almost identical' articles published in October last year. They claimed he had 'not been in touch by phone, letter nor email since his last appearance as an honorary Marine' in March. The prince's lawyer told the court that Harry had in fact made 'repeated and concerted efforts' to support the Royal Marines and other parts of the armed services.
In a short statement at the remote hearing on Monday, the duke's lawyer Jenny Afia said Associated Newspapers had accepted the allegations were false, 'albeit after considerable damage was already done'. She said Harry was 'proud to have served in the British armed forces for 10 years in Her Majesty's name' and 'has maintained active links with those forces ever since'.
Ms Afia added that Harry was donating his damages to the Invictus Games Foundation 'so he could feel something good had come out of the situation'. On 27 December, the Mail on Sunday printed an apology, accepting the duke had been in touch with the Royal Marines, and said it had made a donation to the Invictus Games Foundation.
