The spotlight has turned to Prince Harry as he faces an unusual legal challenge. The Duke of Sussex, known for his battles against media intrusion, is now defending himself in a defamation case brought by a charity he once co-founded.
Sentebale, an organization established by Prince Harry to honor his mother, Princess Diana, has initiated legal proceedings against him in London’s High Court. The charity, which aids young people living with HIV in Botswana and Lesotho, accuses Harry and a former trustee, Mark Dyer, of either libel or slander, according to court records reviewed last Friday. Specific documents concerning the suit have not been released.
In a statement on its website, Sentebale claimed, “The charity seeks the court’s intervention, protection, and restitution following a coordinated adverse media campaign conducted since 25 March 2025 that has caused operational disruption and reputational harm to the charity, its leadership, and its strategic partners.” Meanwhile, representatives for Harry and Dyer have rejected these allegations as “offensive and damaging.”
This legal battle marks a rare instance where Prince Harry finds himself on the defensive in court. Previously, he has consistently been a plaintiff, particularly in high-profile privacy lawsuits against major British tabloids. These cases have involved allegations of phone hacking and other privacy breaches.
Established nearly two decades ago, Sentebale—meaning “forget me not” in Lesotho—was co-founded by Harry alongside Prince Seeiso of Lesotho. The charity was inspired by Princess Diana’s work in promoting HIV/AIDS awareness and combating the stigma associated with the disease.
Issues within Sentebale began to surface in 2023 due to disagreements over a new fundraising approach. Subsequently, both Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso resigned as patrons in March 2025, aligning with trustees who had also stepped down. At that time, the founders cited irreconcilable differences with Sophie Chandauka, the chair of the board, who later accused Harry of conducting a bullying and harassment campaign against her.
Sky News reported that a fundraising event planned by Sentebale was disrupted by the filming of one of Harry’s Netflix shows, adding to the tensions. Additionally, an incident involving Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, contributed to the friction.
The Charity Commission for England and Wales intervened to investigate the publicized dispute. While the commission criticized both parties for allowing the disagreement to damage the charity’s image, it found no substantial evidence of bullying or misogyny. “Sentebale’s problems played out in the public eye, enabling a damaging dispute to harm the charity’s reputation, risk overshadowing its many achievements, and jeopardizing the charity’s ability to deliver for the very beneficiaries it was created to serve,” stated commission CEO David Holdsworth in a statement issued in August 2025.
Reactions to the commission’s report varied, with Harry’s spokesperson expressing disapproval, while Chandauka welcomed the findings.
Gerald Imray in Cape Town, South Africa, contributed to this report.
