Prince Harry sued for defamation by his former charity Sentebale, court record shows

A charity co-founded by Prince Harry is suing ‌the British royal for defamation at the High Court in London, ​a court record shows.

Sentebale was founded by Harry in 2006 to help young people with HIV ‌and AIDS in Lesotho and Botswana, but he resigned as a patron in March 2025 after a public falling-out with the chair of the board, Sophie Chandauka.

According to a record made public on Friday, Sentebale lodged a defamation claim last month at the High Court against Harry and Mark Dyer, who was ‌also a trustee of the charity.

No documents are currently available in the claim, which was originally filed on 24 March.

A spokesperson for Prince Harry and Mr Dyer said the pair "categorically reject these offensive and damaging claims", after the legal action was launched.

Sentebale said it lodged a defamation claim following what it called a "co-ordinated adverse media campaign" which it said had damaged its reputation.

In a statement, its board of trustees and executive director said: "The charity seeks the court's intervention, protection and restitution following a co-ordinated adverse media campaign conducted since March 25 2025 that has caused operational disruption and reputational harm to the charity, its leadership and its strategic partners.

"The proceedings have been brought against Prince Harry and Mark Dyer, identified through evidence as the architects of that adverse media campaign, which has had significant viral impact and triggered an onslaught of cyber-bullying directed at the charity and its leadership.

"Sentebale has experienced the adverse media campaign as false narratives circulated through the media about the charity and its leadership, attempts to undermine its relationships with staff, existing and prospective partners, and the forced diversion of leadership time and resources into managing a reputational crisis not of the charity's making."

Harry co-founded the charity, alongside Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, which was aimed at enhancing the lives of vulnerable children in the southern African country.

The pair both stepped down last year in a dispute with chairperson Dr Chandauka.

The initial rift emerged in 2023 after trustees began plans for a new fundraising strategy in the US.

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The "serious dispute" was exacerbated by strategic and financial difficulties for the charity following the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a report from The Charity Commission (CC).

The CC criticised both sides for allowing the dispute to be played out in public.

Commission CEO David Holdsworth said they enabled the rift to "harm the charity's reputation", which in turn jeopardised its "ability to deliver for the very beneficiaries it was created to serve".

(c) Sky News 2026: Prince Harry sued for defamation by his former charity Sentebale, court record shows