Sentebale, the southern Africa charity Prince Harry co-founded in 2006, has sued Harry and former trustee Mark Dyer for defamation in the High Court of England and Wales. The Prince Harry Sentebale lawsuit was filed on the court’s docket on March 24, 2026, with proceedings formally commenced on April 10, 2026, and it accuses the two men of orchestrating a media campaign that damaged the charity after a bitter boardroom split the year before.1ITV News. Prince Harry Sued for Defamation by Former Charity Sentebale Harry and Dyer have called the claims “offensive and damaging” and rejected them categorically.2BBC News. Prince Harry Sued for Defamation by Sentebale
What the Charity Is Claiming
The case is docketed as a Part 7 defamation, libel and slander claim, with Sentebale as claimant and the defendants listed as “Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry” and “Dyer, Mark.”1ITV News. Prince Harry Sued for Defamation by Former Charity Sentebale
In its public statement, Sentebale’s board accuses Harry and Dyer of being the “architects” of a “coordinated adverse media campaign” that started on March 25, 2025, the day after five trustees resigned en masse. The charity says the campaign caused “operational disruption and reputational harm to the charity, its leadership, and its strategic partners” and triggered an “onslaught of cyber-bullying.”3Sentebale. Sentebale Seeks Court Protection Against Coordinated Adverse Media Campaign It is asking the court for “intervention, protection, and restitution.”4Reuters. Prince Harry Sued for Libel by His Former Charity Sentebale
Key details are still missing from the public record. Neither Sentebale’s statement nor available reporting identifies the specific statements said to be defamatory, and the charity has not named the publications or outlets involved.5Al Jazeera. Prince Harry Sued for Defamation by Sentebale Charity He Co-Founded
How Harry and Dyer Are Responding
A spokesperson for both men said they “categorically reject these offensive and damaging claims” and called the lawsuit “extraordinary” given that Harry and Dyer helped build and support the organization for nearly two decades. The spokesperson said the charity should be focusing its energy on the communities it serves rather than on litigation.6The Guardian. Prince Harry Sued for Defamation by Charity Sentebale
As of mid-2026, no formal defense had been filed on the public record. There is no reported counterclaim and no application to have the case dismissed.2BBC News. Prince Harry Sued for Defamation by Sentebale
The Boardroom Fight That Led Here
The dispute traces back to 2023, when disagreements broke out over Sentebale’s US fundraising strategy. Tensions centered on Sophie Chandauka, the lawyer who had become chair of the board. Chandauka accused Harry of “orchestrating a campaign of bullying and harassment” to force her out, while a group of trustees lost confidence in her leadership and asked her to resign.7NBC News. Prince Harry Criticized by Charity He Co-Founded
When Chandauka refused to step down, she obtained a High Court injunction to block a board vote on her future. Five trustees resigned on March 24, 2025, saying they would not saddle the charity with the cost of defending that lawsuit. The departing trustees were Timothy Boucher, Mark Dyer, Audrey Kgosidintsi, Kelello Lerotholi, and Damian West.8ABC News (Australia). Prince Harry, Prince Seeiso Resign From Sentebale
Two days later, Harry and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, his co-founder, resigned as patrons. In a joint statement they called the situation “devastating” and “unthinkable” and said they would take their concerns to the Charity Commission. They said they would “always regard themselves as founders of the charity.”9The New York Times. Prince Harry Resigns From Charity Sentebale
What the Charity Commission Found
The Charity Commission for England and Wales opened a compliance case in April 2025 after Chandauka privately raised governance concerns in February. It published its conclusions on August 6, 2025, and neither side came away unscathed.10Gov.uk. Regulator Concludes Case Into Sentebale
Investigators found no evidence of systemic bullying, harassment, or misogyny by Harry or anyone else. They did identify “mismanagement in the administration of the charity” rooted in weak governance, including unclear role descriptions, a “confusing, convoluted and poorly governed” delegation of powers to the chair, and no proper process for handling internal complaints. The commission criticized all parties for letting the fight play out in public, saying it had caused “incalculable damage” to the charity’s reputation.10Gov.uk. Regulator Concludes Case Into Sentebale
The regulator ordered the remaining trustees to draw up an internal dispute policy, improve whistleblowing procedures, establish a code of conduct, and put any future patron role in writing. It urged the charity to seek independent mediation if disputes flared again.11Third Sector. Sentebale Row Caused Incalculable Damage, Chair Says
Who Is Paying, and What Sentebale Has to Prove
Sentebale says the legal costs are “met entirely by external funding” and that no charitable funds have been used.3Sentebale. Sentebale Seeks Court Protection Against Coordinated Adverse Media Campaign The identity of the funder has not been disclosed.
To succeed under the Defamation Act 2013, a body trading for profit, and by extension other organizations claiming financial loss, must show “serious financial loss.” That threshold is designed to screen out weak claims.12ABC News. Prince Harry Sued by Charity Founded in Honor of Princess Diana Sentebale has not publicly quantified the loss it attributes to the alleged campaign.
What Happens Next
The next public step is a defense from Harry and Dyer, which had not been filed as of mid-2026. Because Sentebale has not yet identified the specific statements it considers defamatory, the pleadings when they arrive will be the first chance to see the alleged words the case actually turns on. Both sides say they are acting in the interests of the young people Sentebale was created to serve.