A charity established by Prince Harry to honour his late mother Princess Diana is pursuing High Court libel and slander action against the Duke of Sussex and former royal equerry Mark Dyer following a devastating leadership breakdown that has plunged the organisation into financial crisis.
Sentebale—meaning “forget-me-not” in Lesotho’s language—launched legal proceedings after the 41-year-old prince quit the board last year amid what he described as an “untenable” situation involving chairwoman Sophie Chandauka’s management of the HIV and AIDS support organisation serving young people in Lesotho and Botswana.
The charity’s financial position has deteriorated catastrophically since Harry’s departure, with published accounts revealing reserves depleted from £1.5 million to £207,000 by December 2024 whilst monthly income plummeted 25 per cent during the escalating dispute.
Staff reductions have followed the funding collapse, with four of five London office employees made redundant in August including the global head of finance and compliance, whilst sources claim one in five Botswana staff were laid off including country director Ketlogetswe Montshiwa amid fears of “significant cash flow problems.”
The conflict originated when Sentebale’s board challenged Ms Chandauka over a £400,000 consultancy bill trustees claimed delivered minimal returns, prompting requests she step down before she instead filed Charity Commission complaints alleging bullying, misogyny and racism.
Ms Chandauka accused Harry of attempting to “eject” her through “bullying” and “harassment”—allegations the duke denies—though the Commission’s subsequent investigation found no bullying evidence whilst criticising weak governance and all parties for permitting internal disputes becoming public.
March 2025 witnessed mass trustee resignations blaming what they characterised as Ms Chandauka’s “almost dictatorial” leadership, with Harry and co-founder Prince Seeiso of Lesotho resigning as patrons whilst declaring the situation had become untenable.
The prince later described the relationship breakdown with Ms Chandauka as “devastating,” warning consequences “will not be borne by her, but by the children who rely on Sentebale’s support”—criticism that appears to have prompted the libel lawsuit alongside similar comments from Mr Dyer, who served as charity trustee.
Public court records provide no specifics regarding allegations contained within the legal action against Harry and Mr Dyer, though the proceedings represent an extraordinary development seeing a prince sued by the charitable organisation he co-founded in 2006.
The charity’s recent £1 million cost-cutting measures reflect the severe financial pressures following the departure of its highest-profile patron and fundraising figurehead.
