Prince Harry Hits Back at Charity He Once Helped Set Up In Honor of Princess Diana
Prince Harry denies “offensive” claims in Sentebale lawsuit, as tensions with the charity spill into a full-blown legal battle.
Prince Harry has been at odds with a lot of people whom he used to be close to, including his brother. But controversy keeps chasing him, and now he is hitting out at a charity that he once helped set up in honor of his mother, Princess Diana. In a shocking turn of events, Sentebale just filed a defamation case against Harry, but he is not holding back. Through his team, the Duke has strongly denied the accusations, calling them “offensive and damaging.”
The lawsuit claims that he played a role in fueling negative press coverage about the charity, which trustees say ended up hurting its public image and even affecting how its day-to-day operations. Moreover, Mark Dyer, a longtime friend of Harry's and a former trustee himself, is also named in the case. He, too, has denied any wrongdoing. This new lawsuit comes while Prince Harry is still waiting on a verdict in his ongoing case against Associated Newspapers that is making headlines.
A spokesperson for The Duke of Sussex and Dyer dismissed the claims completely, saying that they “categorically reject” the allegations, which they described as offensive and damaging. It also said, according to Reuters, “It is extraordinary that charitable funds are now being used to pursue legal action against the very people who built and supported the organisation for nearly two decades, rather than being directed to the communities the charity was created to serve.”
Sentebale wrote in a statement on the website that they are now seeking “protection” through the courts. “The charity seeks the court’s intervention, protection, and restitution following a coordinated adverse media campaign conducted since 25 March 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,” the statement read.
Sentebale was set up back in 2006 by Harry and Prince Seeiso to help young people living with HIV and AIDS in the southern parts of Africa, particularly in Lesotho and Botswana. Over the years, it became one of his most personal projects, closely tied to the legacy of Diana. Previously, the Duke and his co-founder, Seeiso, stepped down from their roles as patrons. They did so in support of a group of trustees who had quit after a fallout with the charity’s chair, Dr Sophie Chandauka.
When things started becoming public, Chandauka took things a step further and reported Harry and some of the trustees to the UK’s charity regulator, accusing them of bullying and harassment. But after reviewing everything, the Charity Commission for England and Wales said in August that there was no evidence to support those claims.
