The Sun owner offers ‘full and unequivocal’ apology for intruding into Prince Harry’s private life

The settlement came just moments before the trial was expected to commence

It brings an end to a long-running legal battle between the prince and the newspaper group.

Furthermore, News Group Newspapers (NGN) also apologised for serious intrusion into the private life of Harry's late mother, Princess Diana.

NGN further issued a statement saying there are 'strong controls and processes in place at all our titles today to ensure this cannot happen now'.

Former Labour deputy leader Tom Watson also received an apology for 'unwarranted intrusion'.

The legal fees for the Sun's owner, Prince Harry and Tom Watson are estimated to be in the region of £10 million according to the BBC which is expected to be paid in full by NGN.

While Prince Harry's lawyer, David Sherborne called it a 'monumental victory', he also accused current NGN executives of 'obstructing victory'.

The apology issued to Prince Harry covered incidents of 'phone hacking, surveillance and misuse of private information by journalists and private investigators'.

It also covered incidents of unlawful activities carried out by private investigators working for The Sun newspaper from 1996-2011, the statement says - but “not by journalists”.

The statement read: "It has long been a matter of record that the Duke of Sussex’s phone was hacked by the News of the World. Two people served criminal sentences for this in 2006 and an apology was given.

"Today a full and unequivocal apology is given to the Duke of Sussex for the phone hacking, surveillance and misuse of private information by journalists and private investigators instructed by them at the News of the World."

They added: "Today, our apology to the Duke of Sussex includes an apology for incidents of unlawful activities carried out by private investigators working for The Sun, not by journalists, during the period 1996-2011.

"After more than a decade of litigation, and 14 years since the News of the World closed down, today’s settlement draws a line under the past and brings an end to this litigation."

The settlement was announced this morning in the high court just moments before a trial was due to take place.

It marks the first time that NGN have admitted wrongdoing against the royal.