Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have won a legal battle with the editors of a British newspaper over a story which falsely claimed the couple was planning to split.
The Hollywood actors launched a breach of privacy case against News Group Newspapers, which owns U.K. tabloid the News of the World, earlier this year (10) following the publication of an article on 24 January (10) which alleged the unmarried couple had met with a divorce lawyer to divide their assets and arrange custody of their six children.
The case went to London's High Court on Thursday (22Jul10), and the couple's lawyer told the hearing that the newspaper now accepts the allegations were "false and intrusive".
Jolie and Pitt have agreed undisclosed damages with the News of the World, while the newspaper will also publish an apology for the report and pay the couple's legal fees.
The settlement will be donated to the stars' Jolie-Pitt Foundation.
Jolie and Pitt's attorney, Keith Schilling, says, "When the News of the World failed to publicly retract the allegations and apologise for them - thereby leaving their readers in the dark as to the true position - the couple felt they had no alternative than to sue. Today's victory marks the end of the litigation brought by Brad and Angelina."