Prince Harry Sued by Sentebale Charity in Defamation Case
The Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry, is embroiled in a legal battle with Sentebale, the African charity he co-founded, marking the latest chapter in a contentious fallout. Legal papers have been filed in London’s High Court, naming both Prince Harry and former Sentebale trustee Mark Dyer as defendants in a defamation claim.
This legal action follows a public dispute between Prince Harry and Dr. Sophie Chandauka, the charity’s chair, which escalated after the Duke’s resignation as a patron in March 2025. Sentebale focuses on supporting children and young people in southern Africa, a cause deeply personal to Prince Harry, established in memory of his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales.
The Roots of the Dispute
Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho stepped down from their roles in March 2025, prompting further resignations from trustees due to disagreements with Dr. Chandauka, who was appointed in 2023. Sentebale alleges a “coordinated adverse media campaign” launched on March 25, 2025, has caused significant operational disruption and reputational damage.
According to the charity, the campaign, allegedly orchestrated by Prince Harry and Mark Dyer, has had a “significant viral impact” and triggered a wave of cyberbullying directed at the charity and its leadership. Sentebale claims the campaign involved the circulation of false narratives, attempts to undermine relationships with partners and staff, and a diversion of resources to manage a crisis the charity did not create.
“The charity should not continue to use its resources to manage and address the damage this adverse media campaign has caused to its operations and partnerships. This must stop,” a statement from Sentebale reads. The charity emphasizes that the legal costs are being covered by external funding, ensuring no charitable funds are used.
Charity Commission Criticism and Allegations
The Charity Commission previously criticized Prince Harry in August 2025 for allowing the dispute with Dr. Chandauka to “play out publicly,” although it cleared him of racism allegations. Dr. Chandauka, in turn, accused those involved of “playing the victim card” and described the dispute as a case of “a woman who dared to blow the whistle about issues of poor governance, weak executive management, abuse of power, bullying, harassment, misogyny, misogynoir [discrimination against black women] – and the cover-up that ensued.”
The Commission’s compliance case ruling highlighted the failure of trustees to resolve disagreements internally, which it stated “severely impacted the charity’s reputation and risked undermining public trust in charities more generally.” The dispute reportedly stemmed from a new fundraising strategy proposed in the US.
A spokesperson for Prince Harry responded to the Commission’s report, stating it “fell troublingly short,” particularly in failing to address the consequences of Dr. Chandauka’s actions on the children supported by Sentebale. The spokesperson also refuted claims of widespread bullying, harassment, or misogyny within the charity.
Further Developments
The claim was officially filed on March 24th, according to HM Courts and Tribunals Service. Representatives for Prince Harry have been contacted for comment. This case continues to unfold, raising questions about governance and accountability within charitable organizations. For more information on charitable governance, you can visit the Charity Commission website.
