Prince Harry Faces Defamation Lawsuit from Charity He Founded in Diana’s Memory

Prince Harry is facing legal action from Sentebale, an African charity he helped establish nearly two decades ago in tribute to his late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales.

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The organisation, which works with young people affected by HIV in southern Africa, has filed a defamation claim against the Duke of Sussex at London’s High Court, according to court records made public this week.

Sentebale said the case follows what it described as a “coordinated adverse media campaign” that it claims caused reputational damage and disrupted the charity’s operations.

High Court action

Online filings show that Prince Harry and his associate Mark Dyer are named as defendants in the lawsuit. The claim relates to alleged libel or slander, although detailed court documents have not yet been released.

In a statement published on its website, Sentebale said it was seeking the court’s intervention and protection after media coverage beginning on 25 March 2025 harmed the charity’s reputation, leadership and relationships with partners.

The case places the duke in an unusual legal position. In recent years, he has frequently appeared in court as a claimant, pursuing legal claims against British newspaper publishers over allegations of phone hacking and unlawful information gathering.

Charity founded in Diana’s honour

Sentebale was founded in 2006 by Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso. The organisation’s name means “forget me not” in Sesotho, the language of Lesotho.

The charity supports children and young people living with HIV in Botswana and Lesotho, continuing work closely associated with Diana’s public advocacy on HIV and AIDS awareness during the 1980s and 1990s.

Prince Harry remained closely involved with Sentebale for many years as a patron before stepping down from the role in March 2025.

Leadership dispute and resignations

Tensions within the charity had been building for some time before the legal action. Disagreements emerged in 2023 over changes to fundraising strategy and the organisation’s direction.

The dispute intensified in early 2025 when Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso resigned as patrons in solidarity with trustees who had left their positions.

At the time, the founders said the relationship between the board and its chair, Sophie Chandauka, had become irreparably strained.

Chandauka later accused Prince Harry of leading a campaign of bullying and harassment intended to force her to step down.

She also told Sky News that production activity linked to a programme for Netflix involving Prince Harry had disrupted a scheduled fundraising event for the charity. An incident involving his wife, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, was also cited as a point of tension.

Regulator criticised both sides

The dispute drew the attention of the Charity Commission for England and Wales, which conducted an investigation into the organisation’s governance.

In August 2025, the regulator concluded that both sides had allowed the conflict to spill into public view, harming Sentebale’s reputation and potentially affecting its work.

The commission said it found no evidence of widespread bullying or misogyny within the charity.

Its chief executive, David Holdsworth, said the public nature of the dispute risked overshadowing the organisation’s achievements and undermining its ability to support the communities it serves.

Prince Harry’s spokesperson criticised the commission’s findings at the time, while Chandauka said she welcomed the report.

Requests for comment sent to the Duke of Sussex’s office on Friday were not immediately returned.

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Adapted by ASEAN Now. Source 11 April 2026