By Gavin Mackintosh And Charlotte Webster-
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex has released a statement as part of his lawsuit against a photo agency. The lawsuit relates to a photograph taken of Harry and Meghan’s £2.5million country home in the Cotswolds from a helicopter in January later printed in a newspaper.
The amount of damages paid is not being disclosed for purposes of privacy. The royals claimed they were prompted to move out after they feared for their “safety and security”. The publication featured the couple’s “living area, dining area and bedroom” were shown.
Photographs and videos were simultaneously published by the Times and other media outlets, the court was told. Lawyers for the Duke Of Sussex said the publication: “very seriously undermined the safety and security” of the couple, forcing them to move out, the duke’s lawyers told Mr Justice Warby
Harry’s statement was read in open court on Thursday morning, after an apology by the agency and substantial damages had been accepted. The palace also released a short statement that read: “The Duke of Sussex acknowledges and welcomes the formal apology from Splash News and Picture Agency as referenced in the Statement in Open Court today.”
Prince Harry’s solicitor emphasised that the geographical location of the property had been deliberately chosen for the privacy of Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle. The court statement read out by Harry’s solicitor, Gerrard Tyrrell, noted:
“On 9 January 2019, Splash chartered a helicopter for the purpose of taking photographs and recording video footage of the duke’s private home in Oxfordshire.
“The property had been chosen by The Duke for himself and his wife given the high level of privacy it afforded given its position in a secluded area surrounded by private farmland away from any areas to which photographers have access. The helicopter flew over the home at a low altitude allowing Splash to take photographs of and into the living area and dining area of the home and directly into the bedroom… The syndication and publication of the photographs very seriously undermined the safety and security of The Duke and the home to the extent that they are no longer able to live at the property.”
The statement ended by saying “will not repeat its conduct by using any aerial means to take photographs or film footage of the Duke’s private home which would infringe privacy or data rights or otherwise be unlawful activity”.
Splash said in a statement: “Splash has always recognised that this situation represents an error of judgment and we have taken steps to ensure it will not be repeated. We apologise to the Duke and Duchess for the distress we have caused.”