Prince Harry is facing a defamation lawsuit from Sentebale, the charity he co-founded in 2006 to support young people affected by HIV/AIDS in Lesotho and Botswana. According to court records reviewed Friday, Sentebale filed the claim against Prince Harry and his friend Mark Dyer at London's High Court.
Key Takeaways
Sentebale has filed a defamation lawsuit against Prince Harry for allegedly conducting an adverse media campaign since March 2025. The charity claims this caused operational disruption and reputational harm, seeking court intervention and restitution.
- Sentebale files libel suit against Prince Harry in London's High Court
- Charity alleges coordinated media campaign causing reputational damage
- Dispute stems from public falling-out with board chair Sophie Chandauka
- Charity Commission found no evidence of bullying or harassment
The charity alleges that Prince Harry and Mr. Dyer conducted a coordinated adverse media campaign since March 2025, causing operational disruption and reputational harm to Sentebale and its leadership. The lawsuit seeks court intervention, protection, and restitution for the damage caused by this alleged campaign.
This dispute between Prince Harry and Sentebale stems from a public falling-out with Sophie Chandauka, the charity's chair of the board. Prince Harry resigned as patron in March 2025 after accusing Ms. Chandauka of having an untenable leadership style. The Charity Commission investigated these allegations but found no evidence of bullying or harassment, criticizing all parties involved for allowing the dispute to become public.
Sentebale has faced significant challenges since Prince Harry's departure, including staff layoffs and a funding crisis. According to Daily Mail, the charity had run through almost all its reserves by December 2024, with monthly income falling by a quarter. The lawsuit against Prince Harry adds another layer of complexity to Sentebale's ongoing struggles.
A spokesperson for Harry and Dyer said they 'categorically reject these offensive and damaging claims.' Prince Harry co-founded Sentebale, which means “forget me not” in the language of Lesotho, about 20 years ago in memory of his mother Princess Diana. Disagreements at the charity surfaced in 2023 over a new fundraising strategy.
Harry and Prince Seeiso stepped down as patrons of the charity in March 2025. At the time they said that the relationship between the board and its chair, Sophie Chandauka, was beyond repair and that they were stepping down in solidarity with five trustees who resigned over an internal dispute.
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