Prince Harry is being sued by his once-beloved charity, Sentebale and this is all the things that you must know.
The Duke of Sussex arrange Sentebale in 2006 (Picture: Getty)
TABLE OF CONTENT
- What’s Sentebale?
- Why did Prince Harry step down from Sentebale?
- What has Prince Harry stated?
- What has chairwoman Dr Sophie Chandauka stated?
- What did the Charity Fee discover in its report?
- Why is Prince Harry being sued?
- What has Sentebale stated?
Prince Harry is being sued by his once-beloved charity, Sentebale, it emerged on Friday night. The Duke of Sussex stop as patron final yr amid a bitter row with Sentebale’s chairwoman, Sophie Chandauka, which included varied “claims and counter-claims of racism, bullying and mismanagement”. Harry has rejected the “offensive and damaging” defamation declare.
The organisation, which was co-founded by the Duke and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, has held a particular place in Harry’s coronary heart for nearly twenty years. After it emerged that each the founders had stepped again from their roles, together with numerous key charity officers, the chairwoman, Dr Sophie Chandauka, issued a blistering assertion criticising those that “play the sufferer card”. A Charity Fee report discovered no proof of “widespread bullying” however criticised the Duke for his half within the public fallout.
So, what will we learn about Prince Harry’s newest transfer and what has been stated?
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What’s Sentebale?
Prince Harry co-founded Sentebale in 2006 (Picture: Getty)
Sentebale, which suggests “forget-me-not” in Sesotho, was collectively arrange by The Duke of Sussex and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho in 2006 and has spent virtually twenty years dedicating itself to serving to African orphans and tackling poverty and AIDS in Lesotho and Botswana.
Launched within the reminiscence of Diana, Princess of Wales, the charity’s web site explains that Sentebale “works with younger folks and their communities to create sustainable options that handle problems with well being, wealth inequity, and local weather resilience.”
Prince Harry has visited the nation many instances through the years and first fell in love with the landlocked African nation throughout his hole yr in 2004. His final go to befell in October 2024 and noticed him pay tribute to King Letsie III and Queen Masenate Mohato Seeiso’s help through the years.
He stated: “The Lesotho royal household, in addition to Lesotho itself, has been a pillar of power for me over the past 20 years, welcoming me with open arms and such kindness.”
Why did Prince Harry step down from Sentebale?
Prince Harry has introduced he has stepped down from his position (Picture: Getty)
The choice to step down got here after “unthinkable” controversy from inside and has now been met with an announcement from the organisation’s chair, Sophie Chandauka, a Zimbabwe-born lawyer who was appointed final yr.
The row seems to have stemmed from a choice to maneuver the charity’s fundraising operation to Africa, which has induced a number of key figures to go away the organisation.
The stunning transfer, which comes only one yr earlier than the charity celebrates its twentieth anniversary, got here as a shock to many and was met with a joint assertion from Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso who stated they’re “actually heartbroken”. They added that they backed those that left and have subsequently resigned as patrons till additional discover.
In response, chairwoman Dr Sophie Chandauka has alleged there was a “cover-up” as she condemned the “weak govt administration, abuse of energy, bullying, harassment, misogyny, and misogynoir [discrimination against black women]”.
What has Prince Harry stated?
Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho co-founded the charity 19 years in the past (Picture: Getty)
The information got here as a shock to many and was met with a joint assertion from Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso who stated they’re “actually heartbroken”. They added that they backed those that left and have subsequently resigned as patrons till additional discover.
The pair stated in a joint assertion: “These trustees acted in the most effective curiosity of the charity in asking the chair to step down, whereas holding the wellbeing of employees in thoughts.
“In flip, she sued the charity to stay on this voluntary place, additional underscoring the damaged relationship. We thank all of the trustees for his or her service through the years and are actually heartbroken they’ve needed to observe by with this act. What’s transpired is unthinkable. We’re in shock that now we have to do that, however now we have a continued accountability to Sentebale’s beneficiaries, so we shall be sharing all of our considerations with the Charity Fee as to how this happened.
“Though we could now not be patrons, we are going to at all times be its founders, and we are going to always remember what this charity is able to reaching when it’s in the fitting care.”
Following the most recent allegations, Harry responded on behalf of himself and Mr Dyer by an announcement launched by a spokesperson.
It stated: “As Sentebale’s co-founder and a founding trustee, they categorically reject these offensive and damaging claims.”
What has chairwoman Dr Sophie Chandauka stated?
Prince Harry pictured with Dr Sophie Chandauka (left) (Picture: Getty)
Prince Harry’s resolution to step down got here after the controversy has been addressed in a an announcement from the organisation’s chair, Sophie Chandauka.
She stated: “I’m an African who has had the privilege of a world-class training and profession. I can’t be intimidated. I need to stand for one thing. I stand for these different girls who should not have the methods and means.
“I selected to hitch Sentebale initially as a proud African who understands that, within the spirit of ubuntu: to whom a lot is given, a lot is anticipated. All the things I do at Sentebale is in pursuit of the integrity of the organisation, its mission, and the younger folks we serve. My actions are guided by the ideas of equity and equitable remedy for all, no matter social standing or monetary means.
“There are folks on this world who behave as if they’re above the regulation and mistreat folks, after which play the sufferer card and use the very press they disdain to hurt individuals who have the braveness to problem their conduct.
“Discerning readers will ask themselves: why would the Chair of the Board report her personal Trustees to the Charity Fee? Why would the Excessive Courtroom of England and Wales settle for her software to listen to the matter in any respect if the case had no benefit?
“Properly, as a result of beneath all of the sufferer narrative and fiction that has been syndicated to press is the story of a girl who dared to blow the whistle.”
What did the Charity Fee discover in its report?
The Charity Fee stated final April that it had opened a regulatory compliance case into Sentebale and launched its findings in August.
It pressured in its findings that it discovered no proof of “widespread or systemic bullying or harassment, together with misogyny or misogynoir on the charity.” It additionally stated that “the Fee has acknowledged the robust notion of sick remedy felt by numerous events to the dispute and the affect this will likely have had on them personally”.
It additionally introduced that it discovered no proof of “‘overreach’ by both the chair or the Duke of Sussex as patron, however the Fee is important of the charity’s lack of readability in delegations to the chair, which allowed for misunderstandings to happen.”
The watchdog concluded that the “failure to make clear delegations throughout the charity to the chair, and the failure to have correct processes for inside complaints, each quantity to mismanagement within the administration of the charity”.
It added that it expects the charity to set out in writing a “clearly outlined” patron position sooner or later.
The Charity Fee made one criticism concerning the Sentebale row, saying that it shouldn’t have been made public and may have been resolved internally.
The watchdog stated in its overview that it was “not glad that public statements made to the media, and public criticism made in tv interviews, had been carried out in a means that served the charity’s finest pursuits”.
Why is Prince Harry being sued?
The Duke of Sussex is being sued for defamation by Sentebale, based on Excessive Courtroom information.
On-line court docket filings confirmed that Harry is a defendant in a libel or slander declare alongside Mark Dyer, a former trustee.
No paperwork are presently obtainable within the declare initially filed on March 24.
A supply stated in August 2025 that Harry had been left emotionally devastated by the occasions, after 19 years of working with the charity.
What has Sentebale stated?
In an announcement uploaded to Sentebale’s web site on Friday night, the board of trustees and govt director stated the charity is in search of the court docket’s “safety”.
It stated: “The charity seeks the court docket’s intervention, safety, and restitution following a coordinated opposed media marketing campaign carried out since 25 March 2025 that has induced operational disruption and reputational hurt to the charity, its management, and its strategic companions. The proceedings have been introduced towards Prince Harry and Mark Dyer, recognized by proof because the architects of that opposed media marketing campaign, which has had important viral affect and triggered an onslaught of cyber-bullying directed on the charity and its management.
“Sentebale has skilled the opposed media marketing campaign as false narratives circulated by the media concerning the charity and its management, makes an attempt to undermine its relationships with employees, present and potential companions, and the pressured diversion of management time and assets into managing a reputational disaster not of the charity’s making.”
The board of trustees stated within the assertion that these on the charity have been “deeply moved” by the generosity of donors who’ve “stood agency alongside them”.
It stated the work Sentebale delivers is “more and more important”, including: “The charity shouldn’t proceed to make use of its assets to handle and handle the injury this opposed media marketing campaign has induced to its operations and partnerships.
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“This should cease. The board and govt director have taken this authorized motion to safe that safety. The prices of doing so are met fully by exterior funding and no charitable funds have been used.”
It added: “The board and govt director belief that those that imagine in Sentebale’s mission will perceive why this authorized motion, while tough, was needed and essential, and can proceed to face with us as we give attention to the work forward. Sentebale’s focus stays the place it has at all times been: the youngsters and younger folks of Lesotho and Botswana. Sentebale doesn’t intend to remark additional on this matter whereas authorized proceedings are ongoing.”
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