A charity founded by Prince Harry is suing its own co-founder in London's High Court, marking a rare escalation in a dispute that has engulfed Sentebale, the organization he established with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho nearly two decades ago. The charity alleges that actions by Harry and former trustee Mark Dyer triggered "operational disruption" and "reputational harm" through what it describes as a sustained media campaign.
Court filings show Sentebale initiated a claim in March seeking "intervention, protection, and restitution," accusing the pair of involvement in a "coordinated adverse media campaign conducted since 25 March 2025." The organization claims the fallout has extended beyond publicity, stating it "has had significant viral impact and triggered an onslaught of cyber-bullying directed at the charity and its leadership."
The legal action follows a breakdown in governance that culminated in the resignation of Harry, Prince Seeiso, and several trustees in March 2025. At the time, the founders described relations with board chair Sophie Chandauka as irreparable. In a statement shared with ABC News, they said: "It is devastating that the relationship between the charity's trustees and the chair of the board broke down beyond repair, creating an untenable situation."
Sentebale's current leadership has framed the dispute in operational terms, arguing that the alleged campaign has impaired its ability to function and maintain partnerships. The charity stated it "should not continue to use its resources to manage and address the damage this adverse media campaign has caused to its operations and partnerships." It also sought to address concerns about donor funds, emphasizing that legal costs "are met entirely by external funding and no charitable funds have been used."
Harry's representatives have pushed back forcefully. A spokesperson for the Duke of Sussex and Mark Dyer said they "categorically reject these offensive and damaging claims," adding in a statement to ABC News: "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."
The dispute represents a striking reversal for an organization long associated with Harry's philanthropic identity. Founded in 2006 after his time in Lesotho, Sentebale was intended to support vulnerable youth, particularly those affected by HIV and AIDS in Lesotho and Botswana. The name itself, meaning "forget me not" in Sesotho, was chosen as a tribute to his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales.
Over the years, Harry remained closely tied to the charity's operations, including opening the Mamohato Children's Centre in 2015 and donating £1.2 million from his memoir proceeds. He later described stepping away from the organization as "devastating," underscoring the personal stakes behind the current litigation.
Governance tensions had been building prior to the resignations. Disputes reportedly centered on fundraising strategy, leadership structure, and broader financial pressures. Chandauka, for her part, accused elements of the board of "poor governance" and "bullying," prompting a restructuring and drawing regulatory attention.
A subsequent inquiry by the Charity Commission found no evidence of "widespread or systemic bullying or harassment" but criticized the organization's governance clarity. Chief executive David Holdsworth said: "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."
