Prince Harry 'categorically rejects offensive and damaging' libel claim after Sentebale sues Duke of Sussex

In full, the statement reads: "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 organisation for nearly two decades, rather than being directed to the communities the charity was created to serve."

Sentebale has stated, however, that "no charitable funds have been used" for its lawsuit.

The southern African charity lodged a defamation action against the duke and Mr Dyer in the High Court on March 24.

Earlier this evening, a separate statement was issued by the Board of Trustees and the Executive Director of Sentebale.

The statement, which can be read in full here, accused Harry and Mr Dyer of "triggering an onslaught of cyber-bullying".

It read: "Sentebale has commenced legal proceedings in the High Court of England and Wales. 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.

"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 has experienced the adverse media campaign as false narratives circulated through the media about the charity and its leadership, attempts to undermine its relationships with staff, existing and prospective partners, and the forced diversion of leadership time and resources into managing a reputational crisis not of the charity’s making."

Elsewhere, the statement read: "The charity should not continue to use its resources to manage and address the damage this adverse media campaign has caused to its operations and partnerships. This must stop.

"The Board and Executive Director have taken this legal action to secure that protection. The costs of doing so are met entirely by external funding and no charitable funds have been used."

The Sentebale Board of Trustees and its Executive Director confirmed it would not be commenting further during active legal proceedings.

Harry, 41, co-founded Sentebale in 2006 to help young people with HIV and AIDS in Lesotho and Botswana. However, he resigned as a patron in ⁠March 2025 after a public falling-out with the chairwoman of the board, Dr Sophie Chandauka.

The charity's co-founder, Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, and the board of trustees joined Harry in leaving Sentebale last year.

The chairwoman reported Harry and the trustees to Britain's charity regulator for alleged bullying and harassment.

After a review, the Charity Commission reported it had ⁠found no evidence of bullying.

However, it said there had been weak governance and criticised all parties for allowing an internal dispute to become public.

Following the Charity Commission report that scrutinised the dispute, a spokesman for Prince Harry stated that the report "falls troublingly short".

He added 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".