The royal is accusing The Sun and The News of the World over decades of phone hacking and unlawful news gathering

UPDATED 06.42 a.m. PT: There has been high drama on the first day in the trial of Prince Harry versus Rupert Murdoch ‘s News Group Newspapers (NGN), with a settlement deal now “very close,” according to NGN’s lawyer.

Opening arguments in Prince Harry’s civil lawsuit against Rupert Murdoch’s News Group Newspapers are scheduled to begin Tuesday.

News Group Newspapers offered an “unequivocal apology” to the prince for serious intrusion into his private life, as well as that of his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales.

The trial in Duke of Sussex’s long-running case against the Rupert Murdoch-owned 'The Sun' newspaper was set to begin in London on Jan. 21 Simon Perry is a writer and correspondent at PEOPLE.

A legal battle brought by Prince Harry against the publisher of The Sun newspaper, owned by media mogul Rupert Murdoch, kicked off at the High Court in London on Tuesday, without Prince Harry in attendance and with several delays.

Rupert Murdoch's team made the offer to resolve the hacking suits from Prince Harry and a British lawmaker as a trial was to begin. A settlement could help Washington Post CEO Will Lewis.

Prince Harry was suing News Group Newspapers over alleged unlawful activities carried out by journalists and private investigators working for its papers, The Sun and the now defunct News of the World,

The deal means that Harry will not be able to seek a court ruling validating his allegations that News Group Newspapers' journalists went to illegal extremes to dig up dirt on his life and that executives at the company helped cover up the bad acts.

LONDON — Opening arguments are set to start Tuesday in a trial over complaints filed by Prince Harry and a senior British lawmaker against Rupert Murdoch's London tabloid newspapers. It carries high stakes on both sides of the Atlantic. "I'm the last ...

Prince Harry’s lawsuit against Rupert Murdoch’s British tabloid newspapers - the royal’s latest in his ongoing war against the U.K. press - is set to begin. Opening arguments are due to take place in London’s High Court today,