Prince Harry's Former Charity Pauses Libel Case Over Cost Fears
The charity Prince Harry founded for children in southern Africa has put its libel lawsuit against him on hold.
Sentebale and the prince agreed to extend deadlines for key court filings. That agreement effectively pauses the case in the High Court of England and Wales, the civil court in London that hears libel claims, which under English law means allegedly false written statements that harm reputation.
The reason is money. Sentebale is concerned that pursuing the case could prove ruinous if it loses, according to Town & Country. If Harry wins, the charity could be liable for legal costs on both sides plus a potential damages payout. Harry has said he intends to fight the case in court.
Sentebale filed the claim in March 2026 against Harry and Mark Dyer, a former trustee. The charity alleged the two men conducted a coordinated adverse media campaign that caused operational disruption and reputational harm. Both men deny the allegations, Reuters reported in April.
The lawsuit followed a public break last year. Harry co-founded Sentebale in 2006 alongside Prince Seeiso of Lesotho. The charity supports children affected by HIV in Lesotho and Botswana, two small nations in southern Africa.
He resigned as patron in March 2025, along with Dyer and the rest of the board of trustees. A patron in Britain is an honorary figurehead who lends a name and raises visibility. The resignations came after a dispute with board chair Sophie Chandauka.
Since then, Sentebale's finances have tightened. The charity reported income of just over £2 million, about $2.7 million, in 2025, down from approximately £2.5 million, about $3.4 million, the previous year. Event income fell hardest, from £715,000, about $960,000, to £70,000, about $94,000.
Harry's team has rejected the claim. A spokesperson for the prince said he categorically rejects it as offensive and damaging, according to Al Jazeera. The Telegraph reported in August that Harry had stopped directing funding from his late mother Diana's legacy to Sentebale.
The earlier fallout included a report that Harry sent what was described as an unpleasant and imperious message to Sentebale's leadership, demanding the chair explain herself after she refused to issue a statement defending his wife. That account was reported by The Telegraph in March 2025. It has not been confirmed by Buckingham Palace or Harry's office.
What makes this pause stand out is the history involved. This was Harry's longest-running charity project, started when he was 21 after a visit to Lesotho. For now the case is delayed, not dropped. New filing dates have not been made public.
