Prince Harry sued by charity he set up in Africa to honour late mother Princess Diana

A charity co-founded by Prince Harry in Africa in honour of his late mother, Princess Diana, has filed a defamation lawsuit against him following a prolonged internal dispute that has escalated into a High Court battle in London.

The organisation, Sentebale, which works with young people affected by HIV and AIDS in Lesotho and Botswana , alleges that Prince Harry and his associate Mark Dyer engaged in actions that caused reputational harm and operational disruption to the charity. The legal claim, filed in March 2026 and made public through court records in April, is listed as a libel and slander case.

Recent reports add that Sentebale accuses the defendants of orchestrating a “coordinated adverse media campaign” that allegedly began around March 2025, after tensions within the organisation intensified. The charity claims this campaign contributed to internal instability, reputational damage, and wider governance breakdown.

The dispute traces back to disagreements over a revised fundraising strategy that surfaced in 2023. In March 2025, Prince Harry and co-founder Prince Seeiso stepped down as patrons of Sentebale after a breakdown in relations with board chair Sophie Chandauka. The former patrons said the working relationship had become “beyond repair” amid governance disputes.

Following their exit, Chandauka accused Harry of bullying and harassment at scale and claimed he attempted to force her resignation. Harry’s representatives strongly denied these allegations, describing them as false and damaging.

The Charity Commission for England and Wales later investigated the dispute. While it criticised all sides for allowing a public breakdown that damaged Sentebale’s reputation, it found no evidence of widespread bullying, harassment, or misogyny . However, it warned that the public feud risked overshadowing the charity’s humanitarian mission.

In its August 2025 findings, the regulator said the dispute had severely affected public trust and highlighted governance failures within the organisation. Chandauka welcomed the report, while Harry’s representatives questioned aspects of its conclusions.

More recent filings confirm that the case is now active in the High Court of London , with both sides exchanging accusations but no judgment yet delivered. Reports also indicate the legal action is being supported through external funding , not charitable donations, and both parties continue to deny wrongdoing.