RUPERT Murdoch has been forced into a humbling apology to the British people, and in person to the family of Milly Dowler, over the phone hacking scandal.

The media mogul was shamed into taking out advertisements in several UK newspapers today saying how “deeply sorry” he was over the affair as he apologised to Milly’s parents Sally and Bob and her sister Gemma for the News of the World’s hacking of the murder victim’s phone.

It came as News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks, editor of the newspaper at the time, and Les Hinton, chief executive of the Murdoch-controlled Dow Jones, which publishes the Wall Street Journal both resigned.

The advert states: “We are sorry for the serious wrong-doing that occurred. We are deeply sorry for the hurt suffered by the individuals affected. We regret not acting faster to sort things out.”

News Corp chief Mr Murdoch, 80, sat with his head in his hands during a meeting with the Dowlers at a London hotel yesterday.

Their lawyer, Mark Lewis, said the tycoon was “humbled” and gave a “full and sincere apology”.

He stressed the Dowler family had told the tycoon his papers should “lead the way to set the standards of honesty and decency in the field and not what had gone on before”.

Mr Lewis said: “He apologised many times. I don’t think anybody could have held their head in their hands so many times.”

He added Mr Murdoch told the Dowlers the News of the World’s actions were “not the standard set by his father, a respected journalist, not the standard set by his mother” and used the words, “sorry, this should not have happened”.

Outside the hotel, where he was barracked by shouts of “shame on you” from a handful of protesters, Mr Murdoch said: “As founder of the company, I was appalled to find out what had happened and I apologised.”

Prime Minister David Cameron said Mrs Brooks’s resignation was the “right decision”, while Ed Miliband, the Labour leader, also welcomed her departure but stressed: “This is not just about one individual but about the culture of an organisation.”

Mrs Brooks, 43, is still expected to appear alongside Mr Murdoch and his son James for the showdown with MPs next Tuesday when they will give evidence on the phone hacking scandal before the House of Commons Culture Committee.

But further questions were raised after David Cameron’s judgment after Downing Street released a list of people who had received hospitality since the General Election.

Andy Coulson, Mr Cameron’s former spin doctor and ex-editor of the News of the World, stayed at the the PM’s country retreat just two months after he resigned his Downing Street role. Sources said he was invited as “a friend” and as a thank-you for his work by the Prime Minister.

The list confirmed Mr Murdoch was the first media executive the Prime Minister met, just two days after forming the Coalition Government.

It showed Mr Cameron had 26 contacts with News International over 14 months. These included speeches, receptions, private discussions and social occasions. Mrs Brooks twice visited Chequers.

Mr Hinton stepped down following increasing scrutiny of his time as chairman of News International, which publishes the News of the World. Mr Hinton worked in that role from 1995 to 2007, the period when phone hacking took place at the newspaper.

Mr Hinton, who worked for Rupert Murdoch for 52 years, said it was a “deeply, deeply sad day for me” and claimed in his resignation letter that he was “ignorant” of the misconduct in the newsroom.

The letter, which was circulated on Twitter last night, said: “I have watched with sorrow from New York as the News of the World story has unfolded.

“I have seen hundreds of news reports of both actual and alleged misconduct during the time I was executive chairman of News International and responsible for the company. The pain caused to innocent people is unimaginable.

“That I was ignorant of what apparently happened is irrelevant and in the circumstances I feel it is proper for me to resign from News Corp, and apologise to those hurt by the actions of the News of the World.”

Meanwhile, Jude Law is suing the Sun for alleged phone hacking over four articles published in 2005 and 2006.

News International denied the claim, saying it was “a deeply cynical and deliberately mischievous attempt to draw the Sun into the phone hacking issue”.

Law’s solicitor described News International’s response as “ridiculous”, saying: “By their own admission, News International have misled the police, parliament and the public for nearly five years about the extent of the wrongdoing by their journalists and executives.”

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