Prince Harry Sued for Libel by African Charity He Co-Founded

Britain’s Duke of Sussex Prince Harry is facing a defamation suit from the African HIV/AIDS charity he co-founded in 2006, Sentebale, in honour of his late mother Princess Diana.

According to AFP, court filings at London’s High Court show that he and former trustee Mark Dyer, were named as defendants in a libel and slander claim filed by the charity on March 24. 

Sentebale in a statement said it was forced to take legal action after what it described as a media attack allegedly linked to the two men since March 2025, which it said led to cyberbullying against the charity’s leadership and harmed its reputation.

“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 charity said.

In a statement, Prince Harry and Mr Dyer denied the allegation, calling the claims “offensive and damaging.” 

“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 statement read.

The lawsuit follows Mr Harry’s exit from the charity in 2025 after a governance dispute with the board’s chair Sophie Chandauka.

The disagreement escalated into public accusations, including claims of bullying levelled against the prince. 

A subsequent review by the UK’s Charity Commission criticised the organisation’s governance and management but said it found no evidence to support the bullying allegations. 

Mr Harry founded Sentebale alongside Prince Seeiso of Lesotho as a tribute to his mother widely known for her advocacy for people living with HIV/AIDS. 

The charity, whose name means “forget-me-not” in Sesotho, was established to support children and young people affected by HIV and AIDS in Lesotho before later expanding its work into Botswana, with its headquarters in London.