Prince Harry’s trial against the publisher of The Sun has ended dramatically with an apology from the newspaper’s publisher for “serious intrusion” and unlawful activities over a 15-year period.

Harry had presented the lawsuit as a moral crusade and a legal reckoning for Rupert Murdoch’s media empire. In the end, he joined hundreds of other claimants in agreeing to avoid a full trial.

Prince Harry's "mission" against the British press has resulted in a victory against Rupert Murdoch's the Sun, which has admitted to wrongdoing.

Prince Harry’s yearslong legal battle against Rupert Murdoch’s British newspaper group took an unexpected turn on Wednesday, after the duke settled his case over allegations of unlawful information gathering shortly before the trial was due to get underway.

Prince Harry has settled his lawsuit against News Group Newspapers, the Rupert Murdoch-owned company that publishes The Sun and previously published now-defunct News of The World. The settlement, announced Wednesday, includes an apology and admission of wrongdoing from NGN.

Prince Harry has settled his lawsuit against Rupert Murdoch's News Group Newspapers (NGN) over alleged unlawful information gathering, his lawyer said on Wednesday, after the media group admitted he had been the victim of unlawful activity.

Britain's Prince Harry has settled his lawsuit against the U.K. newspaper group owned by media mogul Rupert Murdoch, News Group Newspapers, out of court.

NGN also apologized to the Duke for the impact on him of the "extensive coverage and serious intrusion into his private life as well as the private life of Diana, Princess of Wales."

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.

Prince Harry's case against Rupert Murdoch's British newspaper group is due to return to court on Wednesday with the possibility the warring sides have thrashed out a last-minute deal to settle claims of widespread wrongdoing at the publisher.