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NEED TO KNOW

Prince Harry is being sued for libel by Sentebale, the charity he co-founded in 2006
Sentebale released a statement confirming the news, claiming they experienced a “coordinated adverse media campaign” that caused “operational disruption and reputational harm to the charity, its leadership and its strategic partners”
A spokesperson for the Duke of Sussex and former trustee Mark Dyer tells PEOPLE they “categorically reject these offensive and damaging claims

Prince Harry is being sued for libel by Sentebale, the charity he co-founded in 2006 and stepped down from last year.

Court records revealed the case was filed in the London High Court against the Duke of Sussex and Mark Dyer, a former trustee of the charity, on March 24, according to the BBC and Reuters. The charge is listed as “defamation – libel and slander.”

The Board of Trustees and Executive Director of Sentebale released a statement on Friday, April 10, confirming they had “commenced legal proceedings” against Prince Harry and Dyer.

“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,” Sentebale said in the statement. “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.”

“Sentebale’s focus remains where it has always been: the children and young people of Lesotho and Botswana,” they added.

A spokesperson for the Duke of Sussex and Mark Dyer tells PEOPLE, “As Sentebale’s co-founder and a founding trustee, they categorically reject these offensive and damaging claims. It is extraordinary that charitable funds are now being used to pursue legal action against the very people who built and supported the organization for nearly two decades, rather than being directed to the communities the charity was created to serve.”

Harry, 41, and his co-founder, Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, 59, both stepped back from the charity last year amid a bitter leadership dispute with Sentebale chair Dr. Sophie Chandauka. The princes founded the charity, aimed at helping children in Lethoso and Botswana, in honor of their late mothers, Princess Diana and Queen ‘Mamohato Bereng Seeiso.

Prince Seeiso and Prince Harry in Maseru, Lesotho, on Oct. 1, 2024.Brian Otieno/Getty

Prince Harry’s departure from Sentebale came amid accusations of bullying, racism and misogyny from Chandauka — allegations he has denied.

Last August, the Charity Commission for England and Wales completed an investigation into those claims, announcing it found no evidence of “widespread or systemic bullying, harassment, misogyny or misogynoir” at Sentebale.

The Commission also found no “overreach” by either Chandauka or Prince Harry. However, they criticized all sides for allowing the conflict “to play out publicly” and cited poor internal governance and a “failure to resolve disputes internally severely impacted the charity’s reputation and risked undermining public trust in charities more generally.”

In a statement responding to the findings, a spokesperson for Prince Harry said, “Unsurprisingly, the Commission makes no findings of wrongdoing in relation to Sentebale’s Co-Founder and former Patron, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex. They also found no evidence of widespread bullying, harassment or misogyny and misogynoir at the charity, as falsely claimed by the current Chair.”

“Despite all that, their report falls troublingly short in many regards, primarily the fact that the consequences of the current Chair’s actions will not be borne by her — but by the children who rely on Sentebale’s support,” the spokesperson continued.

“Sentebale has been a deeply personal and transformative mission for Prince Harry, established to serve some of the most vulnerable children in Lesotho and Botswana. For 19 years, its dedicated staff and steadfast supporters have provided vital care to over 100,000 young people across southern Africa, including young people living with HIV/AIDS and those facing mental health challenges. As custodians of this once brilliant charity, Prince Seeiso, Prince Harry and the former Board of Trustees helped grow Sentebale from the seed of an idea to — like its namesake — a flowering force for good,” the statement said.

Sentebale’s current board said it accepted the Charity Commission’s findings and committed to carrying out the regulator’s recommendations. In a statement, the organization said it supported the Commission’s Regulatory Action Plan issued to address their internal dispute policy, improve the charity’s complaints and whistleblowing procedures and establish clearer processes for delegating authority. The Commission will monitor progress in the Action Plan, which includes timescales. Sentebale noted, however, that “the Commission has not investigated any individual allegations and therefore has not made any findings in relation to individuals, including Prince Harry. The issues not investigated by the Commission can and may be dealt with through avenues more appropriate than the Commission.”

Chandauka said, “I appreciate the Charity Commission for its conclusions, which confirm the governance concerns I raised privately in February 2025. The experience was intense, and it became a test of our strategic clarity and operational resilience.”

In January, sources close to the charity told The Times that any prospect of Prince Harry returning to Sentebale had been “completely extinguished,” describing the organization as “too tarnished” following months of public infighting, resignations and staff cuts.

In a statement to PEOPLE on Jan. 2, a spokesperson for the Duke of Sussex said Harry raised concerns through formal channels before making the decision to step away from the charity.

“The Duke has made multiple representations to the Charity Commission, setting out his concerns regarding Sentebale’s governance and, in the interests of its beneficiary community, has urged the appropriate regulatory bodies to maintain close oversight of the charity’s activities,” the spokesperson said.