Prince Harry sued for defamation by charity Sentebale he co-founded

Prince Harry Sued for Defamation by Charity He Co-Founded

Legal Action Over Media Campaign

The Duke of Sussex is being challenged in court by the charity he co-established, Sentebale, which focuses on aiding youth in southern Africa. According to a statement from the charity’s representatives, the lawsuit stems from an alleged “adverse media campaign” that they claim has disrupted operations and damaged their public image. Prince Harry and another former trustee, Mark Dyer, are named as defendants in the claim filed on 24 March, categorized under “defamation – libel and slander.”

Dispute and Departure

A bitter conflict over governance led to Prince Harry’s exit from Sentebale last year. The charity’s current leadership asserts that legal expenses are entirely covered by external funding, with no use of charitable resources. The case seeks judicial intervention to protect the organization’s reputation and restore its credibility against what the trustees describe as coordinated media attacks.

Charity Commission’s Critique

The Charity Commission concluded in August 2025 that the dispute had been aired publicly, harming the charity’s standing. “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 jeopardising the charity’s ability to deliver for the very beneficiaries it was created to serve,” stated Charity Commission chief executive David Holdsworth.

Origins and Contributions

Sentebale was launched in 2006 by Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso in memory of Harry’s mother, Diana, Princess of Wales. The charity supports young people in Botswana and Lesotho, especially those affected by HIV and AIDS. Harry recently contributed £1.2m from his memoir Spare to the organization, calling his departure “devastating.”

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