The Charity Commission, the official regulator for charitable organisations in England and Wales, is currently engaged in detailed discussions with the trustees of Sentebale. This engagement follows the charity's announcement of its intention to initiate defamation proceedings against its own co-founder, Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex. The central question being posed by the regulator is how such legal action can be justified as furthering the core charitable objectives of Sentebale.
Legal Action and Charitable Purpose
Online court records confirm that Prince Harry, alongside former trustee Mark Dyer, is named as a defendant in a claim for libel or slander. The charity's board of trustees alleges that the Duke coordinated what they describe as an "adverse media campaign." This campaign, they claim, resulted in significant operational disruption and caused reputational harm to Sentebale.
In a formal statement issued on Friday evening, Prince Harry and Mr. Dyer responded robustly to these allegations. A spokesperson acting on their behalf stated that they "categorically reject these offensive and damaging claims." The Charity Commission has acknowledged awareness of the planned litigation. A spokesperson for the Commission emphasised, "We are aware of the charity’s plans to take legal action and have been engaging with the trustees to understand how this action furthers their charity’s purposes."
Funding and Fiduciary Concerns
Sentebale has been quick to assert that no charitable donations or funds are being utilised to finance this legal battle. The organisation states that the costs are being "met entirely by external funding." However, the precise source of this external funding remains undisclosed and unclear, raising questions about transparency.
A source close to Prince Harry challenged this distinction, arguing, "Whether they’re using external or internal funds for the case, that money could still be used to support the charity’s work." Sentebale has declined to comment further, citing the active legal proceedings. The Charity Commission has previously warned that legal action can present a "significant risk to a charity's beneficiaries, assets and reputation."
A History of Boardroom Conflict
This lawsuit represents the latest chapter in a protracted and very public internal dispute that has plagued Sentebale for over a year. The charity, whose name means "forget-me-not," was co-founded by Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho in 2006. Its mission is to support young people living with HIV and AIDS in Lesotho and Botswana.
The crisis escalated dramatically in March of last year when both Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso unexpectedly resigned from their roles as patrons of the charity. This move was made in solidarity with a group of trustees who had themselves resigned following a bitter clash with the charity's chairwoman, Dr. Sophie Chandauka. The dispute reportedly centred on disagreements over a proposed new fundraising strategy.
War of Words and Allegations
Following the resignations, a public war of words ensued. Harry and Seeiso issued a joint statement describing their decision as "unthinkable." They asserted that the trustees had "acted in the best interest of the charity in asking the chair to step down," while accusing Dr. Chandauka of suing the charity to retain her voluntary position, thereby highlighting a "broken relationship."
Dr. Chandauka retaliated in a televised interview, making serious allegations against the Duke. She accused him of being "involved" in a "cover-up" of an internal investigation concerning bullying, harassment, and misogyny within Sentebale. She further claimed that the "toxicity" associated with Harry's public brand had negatively impacted the charity, leading to a noticeable drop in donor support since his relocation to the United States.
Additional reports emerged alleging that Prince Harry sent Dr. Chandauka an "unpleasant" and "imperious" text message. This was reportedly after she declined a request from his team to issue a public statement defending the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan, following an awkward moment captured on camera at a Sentebale fundraising polo match in Florida. Dr. Chandauka stated she refused, saying, "We cannot become an extension of the Sussex machine." The Duke's representatives have not publicly addressed this specific claim.
Regulatory Investigation and Aftermath
Dr. Chandauka subsequently reported Prince Harry and the trustees to the Charity Commission over the alleged bullying and harassment. The regulator launched an investigation, though it noted it could not investigate individual allegations of bullying. The Commission's final report, published later, criticised all parties involved for allowing the dispute to become a public spectacle.
The report concluded that all trustees had contributed to a "missed opportunity" to resolve the issues privately. This public feud, the Commission warned, risked undermining public trust in charities as a whole. While the investigation found no evidence of systemic bullying, harassment, misogyny, or misogynoir at Sentebale, it did acknowledge "the strong perception of ill treatment" felt by some individuals involved. A source close to Harry revealed at the time that the Duke had been left "emotionally devastated" by the entire episode, after nearly two decades of dedicated work with the charity he helped create.
Legal and Ethical Scrutiny
Charity law experts have highlighted the significant scrutiny Sentebale now faces. A legal director and charity lawyer at the firm Shoosmiths explained to The Times that initiating legal action is a major step for any charity. Sentebale's trustees will need to convincingly demonstrate to the Charity Commission that there were "no other reasonable options" available to them and that the lawsuit directly advances their charitable objects.
The lawyer elaborated, "The charity is really going to have to answer the question: how is that going to be advancing the charity’s objects and purposes? It looks high stakes … It seems a sort of matter where there are going to be no winners." As the Charity Commission continues its dialogue with Sentebale's trustees, the case presents a complex test of governance, fiduciary duty, and the alignment of legal strategy with philanthropic mission.
