and the publisher of the sun has apologised to prince harry for unlawful intrusions into his private life. case has been settled in the past few minutes ahead of what was scheduled to be an eight—week trial. news group newspapers has given a full and unequivocal apology to the duke of sussex who alleged he was unlawfully targeted by its journalists. the case dates back decades but the deal ends a day our correspondent rich preston is outside the high court in central london. a full and unequivocal apology for prince harry and for the other claimant in this case, the former labour mp tom watson. promised by the group of substantial damages. these

two individuals are the last two individuals are the last two claimants in a long, long list of cases taken against group. my colleague is outside the court with me. we are expecting this to go on for potentially eight weeks and yet it seems to be wrapped up in 30 minutes? , . ., ., . ., minutes? yes, a dramatic moment here at the — minutes? yes, a dramatic moment here at the high _ minutes? yes, a dramatic moment here at the high court. _ minutes? yes, a dramatic moment here at the high court. the - here at the high court. the first day of the eight—week trial was meant to happen yesterday. there were secret talks going on behind—the—scenes, last—minute talks about potential settlement yesterday and then returned up to court here this morning and prince harry was my birthday once the court opened after eight few minutes in their natural magic massive news that the settlement has now been reached between mgn newspapers, the publishers of the sun newspaper, and nurse of the sun newspaper, and nurse of the world. prince harry was bringing them to court, suing

them for unlawful information gathering and intrusion in his private life, with details and cabin articles in the newspapers. a settlement now we have learned in the last half an hour has been reached. it is an hour has been reached. it is a massive dealfor an hour has been reached. it is a massive deal for prince harry. he will feel vindicated because he has always said this is not about money for him, but accountability, that is always what he has wanted. as you mentioned, alongside him, the two remaining claimants against the group have been the prince harry and also at the former labour mp, tom watson. i can tell you that prince harry's barrister is about to come and shortly to read a statement. that is not actually him but we are expecting him to emerge from the court and he will come out in front of that bike of reporters and photographers and provide a statement. let me

venue some of the apology that the group has offered to prince harry. they have always denied unlawful activity at the sun newspaper. the apology, the court heard this morning, a full and unequivocal apology to the duke of sussex for the series intrusion by the sun newspaper between 1996 and 2011 into his private life, including incidence of unlawful activities carried out by private investigators working for the sun newspaper. mgn also offers a full and unequivocal apology 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. there is a further apology from mgn to the duke of sussex for the impact on him of the extensive coverage under series intrusion into his private life, as well as the private

life, as well as the private life of diana, princess of wales, his late mother, particularly in his younger years. a full and unequivocal apology to the duke of sussex, following the announcement of this settlement between mgn, the newspapers group, publishers of the sun newspaper. it was shut in 2011. just reading something from my colleague saying that a settlement is absolutely massive, the first time mgn has admitted wrongdoing against prince harry specifically involving unlawful activities by private investigators working for the sun newspaper. we are waiting for those statements that should happen shortly. statements that should happen shortl . ., ~ statements that should happen shortl. ., ~ statements that should happen shortl . ., ~ ., ., . shortly. thank you for that. we are expecting _ shortly. thank you for that. we are expecting a _ shortly. thank you for that. we are expecting a statement - are expecting a statement potentially within the next few

minutes and will bring you that when we have it but for now, back to you. our other breaking news story. a man has admitted murdering a mother and two of her daughters and a crossbow and my attack at their home in hertfordshire last year. carl clifford changed his plea during an appearance at cambridge crown court. those who died with the wife and daughters of the bbc correspondent. just explained what happened in court this morning. he appeared via video link. it was in a wheelchair, dressed in

a dark burgundy sweatshirt and the court asked him on each count, carol hunt, how do you plead? guilty, he said. to the murder of louise hunt, how do you plead? guilty, he said. the murder of hannah hunt, how do you please? guilty, he said. the murder of hannah hunt, howdy please? guilty, kyle clifford said. he also admitted two counts of carrying an offensive weapon, in my fund a crossbow, and he also admitted detaining wiese hunt against her will. that massive manhunt was sparked in hertfordshire near watford lastjuly when it is three women were found in their home. kyle clifford was then shortly found in enfield about ten miles down the road shortly afterwards. kyle clifford is a today encouraged denied a charge of rape in connection with louise hunt and as you say, these three women

worked the wife and daughters of the bbc racing commentator, john hunt. i of the bbc racing commentator, john hunt-— john hunt. i know it has only 'ust john hunt. i know it has only just happened _ john hunt. i know it has only just happened but _ john hunt. i know it has only just happened but there - john hunt. i know it has only just happened but there has| just happened but there has been any reaction or comment from the police?— from the police? this has only 'ust from the police? this has only just happened- _ from the police? this has only just happened. we _ from the police? this has only just happened. we are - from the police? this has only just happened. we are in - from the police? this has only| just happened. we are in touch with the crown prosecution service and the police and of course, when we hear something from them, we will bring it to you, but this hasjust from them, we will bring it to you, but this has just happened in the last hour or so, having onlyjust before christmas, kyle clifford denying the murder of these three but this morning, he has now changed that plea to guilty to the murder of carol hunt, 61, hannah hunt, 28, and to the murder of louise hunt, 25. let us return to that story of the settlement between prince harry and his legal dispute with the sun newspaper who have offered an apology. let's go back to my colleague who is at the high court.

the team of people who left just behind me spoke was apparently the lawyers for a newsgroup newspapers. they left without any comment to the press. we are expecting a statement by prince harry's barrister in the next few minutes. we'rejust barrister in the next few minutes. we're just waiting for him. my colleague still with me. you have been following this story for some time, as you mentioned, prince harry wanted his day in court, he wanted his day in court, he wanted accountability. for those who snapped on his private life. i'm surprised he settled? it private life. i'm surprised he settled? , , , , settled? it is surprising, . iven settled? it is surprising, given that _ settled? it is surprising, given that this _ settled? it is surprising, given that this has - settled? it is surprising, given that this has been| settled? it is surprising, - given that this has been going on for years. expecting a better legal battle in court, and he has said he wanted his day in court. he has the funds, the finance to be able to do

that. we know that around 1,700 others have settled claims with mgn. we were talking anywhere on about the only way we could see a settlement that would happen is if there was that full apology, and that is exactly what prince harry has got today from the group. just looking at the apology, it is really personal. it references prince harry's mother, late mother, the princess of wales, diana, princess of wales, and also that statement from the publisher also talks about the distress and damage to relationships. it is an apology as well that reflect the anger, the upset that prince harry has felt over these articles that he has always maintained, information and articles that he was going to bring to trial here, what was going to be an eight week trial, that

contained information about his private life that he said was information that had been gathered byjournalists at the newspapers using unlawful information gathering techniques. there was also going to be a generic case as well here which was going to be really important. looking at allegations prince harry was going to bring, that it was people at the top you about what was going on at the newspapers and who covered it up newspapers and who covered it up and destroyed evidence. those were the allegations that we would hear in the generic case. i havejust been we would hear in the generic case. i have just been told we would hear in the generic case. i havejust been told in the last couple of minutes about a five minute warning for when we expect prince harry's barrister to come out of the courtroom to face the dozens of photographers and camera crews who are waiting. we expect him to a statement, we think, on

behalf of prince harry. that statement expected in the next couple of moments. in statement expected in the next couple of moments.— statement expected in the next couple of moments. in terms of who was physically _ couple of moments. in terms of who was physically in _ couple of moments. in terms of who was physically in court, - who was physically in court, was this argumentjust between lawyers or did prince harry ever appear, lawyers or did prince harry everappear, did lawyers or did prince harry ever appear, did tom watson ever appear, did tom watson ever appear, did tom watson everappear, did ever appear, did tom watson ever appear, did any of the murdoch family appear? we know that tom watson _ murdoch family appear? we know that tom watson was _ murdoch family appear? we know that tom watson was in _ murdoch family appear? we know that tom watson was in court, . that tom watson was in court, we saw him arrive and he was in the court building. we know that prince harry is in california. he has not come to the trial here and so, we're just keeping an that door, just to make sure we don't miss barrister coming out to read that statement. prince harry, not in court. he may way have been available on a court link to hear what was said in court but tom watson, the former labour mp, the other claimant in the case, he was in court to hear the announcement that a settlement has been reached between the parties and also,

just on that apology, the apology to prince harry, but they also acknowledges and they also acknowledges