Duke wins damages over Marines slur
The Duke of Sussex has accepted an apology and “substantial damages” over “baseless, false and defamatory” allegations he snubbed the Royal Marines after stepping down as a senior royal.
Harry sued Associated Newspapers over two articles published in October, which claimed he had “not been in touch... since his last appearance as an honorary Marine in March”.
At a brief remote High Court hearing yesterday, the Prince’s lawyers said the publishers of the Mail on Sunday and MailOnline accepted the allegations were false, “albeit after considerable damage was already done”. Harry’s lawyer Jenny Afia said he was donating his damages to the Invictus Games Foundation “so he could feel something good had come out of the situation”.
The two articles, published on October 25, claimed “exasperated top brass” were considering replacing Harry as Captain General of the Royal Marines because he “has not been in touch by phone, letter nor email since his last appearance as an honorary Marine”. The stories also alleged the Duke had not responded to a personal letter from the former head of the British Army Lord Dannatt, and quoted a retired senior officer who called on Harry to “take the job seriously”.
Ms Afia told the court: “All of these allegations are false. The Duke’s commitment to the men and women who have put their lives on the line, to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country, and to military families, is steadfast and unquestionable.” Harry founded the Invictus Games for injured or sick servicemen and women in 2014.