FOG BLOG ROYALS LOG: PRINCE HARRY ALLEGED WILLIAM RECEIVED PAYOUT , PART OF 'SECRET AGREEMENT'!

Prince William 'quietly' settled phone hacking case with publisher of the News of the World for 'a very large sum', court papers submitted by Prince Harry as part of his own case against the company claims

Prince Harry alleged his brother received payout as part of a 'secret agreement'
William received money 'behind the scenes' in 2020 from publisher of The Sun
Came to light as part of Prince Harry's battle against News Group Newspapers Prince Harry has dragged his brother into his war against the British press by claiming the future king has 'quietly' settled a phone hacking claim for a 'very large sum'.

The Duke of Sussex alleged Prince William received the payout as part of a 'secret agreement' – and accused the Queen of being involved in the deal.

He received the money 'behind the scenes' in 2020 from News Group Newspapers (NGN), publisher of The Sun and the now-defunct News of the World, it is claimed. However, David Sherborne, representing Harry, said the 'secret agreement' meant 'the claimant could not bring a claim against NGN for phone hacking at that time'.

He said the Queen was personally involved in the 'discussions and authorisation' of this deal.

Prince Harry, who was watching by video link, submitted a 31-page witness statement in which he revealed his brother's payout 'to prove the existence of this secret agreement'.

The deal supposedly saw the Royal Family agree to not pursue NGN until after the conclusion of the newspaper group's litigation battle with other claimants over hacking, at which point the royals' claims would be quietly 'admitted or settled with an apology'.

But Anthony Hudson KC, for NGN, said the publisher's position was that 'there was no such secret agreement'.

He said while communications show 'discussions took place between the Palace and NGN' they 'do not provide any support for a suggestion that there was an agreement by which NGN would forgo its right to bring a limitation defence in response to any claims by members of the Royal Family'.

Prince Harry claimed the deal was struck to 'avoid the situation' in which Royals would have to 'sit in the witness box and recount the specific details' of private voicemails.

He said his family was 'incredibly nervous about this and wanted to avoid it at all costs' following the damaging Tampongate call intercepted between King Charles and Queen Camilla in 1989.