The aftermath of Prince Harry's legal victory against News Group Newspapers is still unfolding. He secured an apology for intrusion by The Sun, with NGN acknowledging unlawful information gathering by private investigators.
While NGN hasn't confessed to illegal activities by their staff, the settlement avoids a trial where allegations of a corporate cover-up would have been contested.
The crux now revolves around the varying viewpoints each side holds as a potential victory post-settlement. The extent of revisiting past events is under scrutiny: a fresh phase of investigations or the final chapter?
Pressure is mounting on the police to delve deeper into potential oversight in previous probes, especially beyond The News of the World.
Campaigners, like actor Hugh Grant, emphasize that lawsuits might not unveil the complete truth, urging continued police accountability. Lord Tom Watson, subjected to surveillance by the News of the World, is gearing up to submit a dossier to the Metropolitan Police, although no criminal investigation into newspaper malpractice is currently active.
Speculation persists about the necessity for groundbreaking evidence to trigger further investigations, notwithstanding previous extensive police inquiries. The narrative underscores the likely staunch resistance from NGN due to the absence of conclusive findings in court.
In the ongoing narrative, the focus shifts to other potential avenues of action, such as a parliamentary committee reviewing NGN executives' testimonies or the Information Commissioner's Office reassessing prior investigations.
While the possibility of a comprehensive Leveson 2 inquiry has been dismissed by the government, the quest for accountability continues through various channels, amid calls for a deeper examination into past events.