Earlier today, I wrote about how the left-behind Windsors are losing their minds about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s trip to Australia, which starts next week. I mentioned this, and yes, I’m quoting myself: “I also think we’re probably going to get some big anti-Sussex story in this weekend’s Sunday papers. Maybe they’ll go back to that old chestnut, the fakakta bullying allegations.” Wellll, I was sort of right. I get half-credit. Instead of waiting for the Sunday papers, certain people organized something very special in an attempt to derail the Australia trip. Sentebale – meaning, Sentebale’s CEO Sophie Chandauka – is suing Prince Harry and Mark Dyer for defamation. The lawsuit was filed last month but it just became public today. Let the games begin.
A charity co-founded by Prince Harry in honour of his late mother Princess Diana, which he quit following a high-profile dispute, is suing the British royal for libel at the High Court in London, a court record showed on Friday.
Harry, the younger son of King Charles, co-founded Sentebale in 2006 to help young people with HIV and AIDS in Lesotho and Botswana but resigned as a patron in March 2025 after a public falling-out with its chair of the board, Sophie Chandauka.
According to a record made public on Friday, Sentebale lodged a defamation claim last month at the High Court against Harry and one of his close friends Mark Dyer, who was also a trustee of the charity.
There were no details as to what the lawsuit involved. Neither Harry’s spokesperson nor the charity immediately responded to a request for comment.
The charity’s co-founder Prince Seeiso of Lesotho and the board of trustees joined Harry in leaving Sentebale, which he helped set up nine years after Diana was killed in a Paris car crash and which means “forget-me-not” in the local language of Lesotho in southern Africa.
The 41-year-old prince called the breakdown in the relationship with Chandauka devastating, while she reported him 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, but said there had been weak governance and criticised all parties for allowing an internal dispute to become public.
What’s funny is that, for the past year, I’ve wanted Harry to pursue legal action against Chandauka. What she’s said about Harry and Meghan specifically was asinine and slanderous, especially the on-the-record quotes she gave to the Financial Times and her on-camera interview with Sky News last year. Her story has changed several times, and she seems grotesquely obsessed with Harry and Meghan. Incidentally, I have no evidence of this, but I’ve believed for some time that Chandauka is being used by people connected to Prince William, including Iain Rawlinson. The timing of this lawsuit backs that up, don’t you think? Anyway, I’m actually glad that this situation is going to court in some form, because I absolutely believe that Harry has plenty of evidence against her.
Photos courtesy of Cover Images. Screencaps courtesy of Sky News.
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- Royal Salute Polo Challenge, to benefit Sentebale, at the USPA National Polo Center. Featuring: Nacho Figueras, Meghan Markle, Prince Harry Where: Wellington, Florida, United States When: 12 Apr 2024 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Duke of Sussex during the awards ceremony after he played in a polo match during the Royal Salute Polo Challenge, to benefit Sentebale, at The USPA National Polo Center Featuring: Prince Harry, Duke Of Sussex Where: Wellington, Florida, United States When: 12 Apr 2024 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Duchess of Sussex the Duke of Sussex poses for pictures with the teams after he took part in the Royal Salute Polo Challenge, to benefit Sentebale, at The USPA National Polo Center Featuring: Prince Harry, Duke Of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess Of Sussex Where: Wellington, Florida, United States When: 12 Apr 2024 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Duchess of Sussex presents the trophy to her husband, the Duke of Sussex after his team the Royal Salute Sentebale Team defeated the Grand Champions Team, in the Royal Salute Polo Challenge, to benefit Sentebale, at The USPA National Polo Center Featuring: Prince Harry, Duke Of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess Of Sussex Where: Wellington, Florida, United States When: 12 Apr 2024 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Duchess of Sussex the Duke of Sussex poses for pictures with the teams after he took part in the Royal Salute Polo Challenge, to benefit Sentebale, at The USPA National Polo Center Featuring: Prince Harry, Duke Of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess Of Sussex Where: Wellington, Florida, United States When: 12 Apr 2024 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Duchess of Sussex presents the trophy to her husband, the Duke of Sussex after his team the Royal Salute Sentebale Team defeated the Grand Champions Team, in the Royal Salute Polo Challenge, to benefit Sentebale, at The USPA National Polo Center Featuring: Prince Harry, Duke Of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess Of Sussex Where: Wellington, Florida, United States When: 12 Apr 2024 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Duke of Sussex during the awards ceremony after he played in a polo match during the Royal Salute Polo Challenge, to benefit Sentebale, at The USPA National Polo Center Featuring: Prince Harry, Duke Of Sussex Where: Wellington, Florida, United States When: 12 Apr 2024 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
Here’s hoping discovery requires the reveal of
– any communications between her and Rawlinson
– any communications between her and any palace or palace flunky
– revelation of who exactly nominated her for her ribbon and why
– where exactly all the money went
– who the hell got her into sentebale in the first place
I hope this gets thrown out so Harry and Meghan never need to hear her name again.
scooters finger prints all over this one. I hope Harry wins big. Maybe it will lead to an investigation of Chandauka.
I’m not sure what Sentebale expects to gain from this. And I have questions as to why only Harry and Mark Dyer are being singled out for this lawsuit and where are they getting money to pursue this case?
Exactly, Prince Seeiso & Harry coauthored their statement resigning as patrons.
Inclusion of Dyer is proof that this is Scooter King’s doing. Dyer was close to both princes and he stayed loyal to Harry, how dare he? Ruthless Scooter never forgets and never forgives, so we were told just last week.
Suing someone is a tricky thing because of the discovery process. Also, who is paying for this lawsuit? Sentebale’s coffers were pretty low last I heard.
They were. And there was some very creative PR explanations for their standing cash on hand. I also question the timing of when this lawsuit was filed. 30 days ago seems reactionary.
And I don’t think they are concerned with the discovery process to be honest. They want a ” scandal” to report on over the next five days. Lawsuits in the UK take year’s to come to trial. This serves as a great distraction for Australia in the immediacy, and for Invictus next summer as a backdrop.
Look at the timing.
30 days ago the first rumor of them visiting Australia hit. They confirmed on March 11. Two days later Bill finally noticed Australia existed and sent a message related to the military there.
This is an obvious hitjob ordered by William. I’m sure he and Rawlinson colluded with her on this. Had it all ready to go. They were just waiting for a high profile time. Australia visit is it.
Thats why seeiso isn’t mentioned, only Harry and Mark Dyer who has dared to defy William and stay close to Harry. Bill doesn’t dare go directly against seeiso
Invictus is next. Harry better take large precautions. I hope Harry wins this case.
So only sue and Harry and Mark Dyer for libel, even though both patrons stepped down and multiple board members gave interviews about her poor leadership? Mmmhmm. And the fact that they appear to be insolvent, even though she’s paying herself a generous salary would have nothing to do with her wanting to place the blame elsewhere for why the charity is no longer bringing in money?
Could it be that alienating your sponsors, being so intractable that the founding patrons and existing board members all would rather resign than continue to work with you, causing long time supporters to stop their charitable donations isn’t a great idea for the long-term success of an organization?
Also, I thought her entire schtick was that she knew better how to raise money than they did? Wouldn’t that stand to reason that she has better connections, people that would back her and trust her character? How could what Harry say impact the ability for her to raise funds unless she never had any connections to begin with?
I’m exhausted by this nonsense every single time Harry and Meghan have an event coming up. From the Oprah interview, to the Docu Series, Spare, WLM and now this trip. What horrible people that they are just locked in a half a decade later to do whatever they can to ruin the lives of two people who left when they were told to leave.
This is so cruel. This woman hijacked a charity Harry founded in his mother’s memory and gave his heart too, and now she’s dragging him into court over bogus claims?
I hate that Harry and Meghan can’t get a break. My anxiety could never handle the BS they have to deal with, but it only makes me respect them more.
She is a literal lunatic.
She’s acting under direction from william.
Also a literal lunatic. 🤷🏻♀️
Who is Mark Dyer? Also why not include Prince Seeiso and the rest of the board. This really is more about the Australia trip than Sentebale. They really are torn up about this tour. I think they’ve already messing up by singling out Harry but let the law do its thing. Hope it’s dismissed.
Former RPO and equerry to both William and Harry. He’s sided with Harry, therefore William wants to destroy him.
Samantha M. sued constantly and got some monetary support apparently to pay for court costs. Cases tossed. But who is financing Chandauka?
Assuming this is a rhetorical question.
We all know william is funding this via the duchy of cornwall.
Harry and Meghan should never ever bring their kids to the UK.
I’d really like to know who is funding this woman’s exploits.
Same. Looking forward to discovery uncovering the “donor” behind this lawsuit.
Meanwhile, there’s already enough out there to sink Chandauka, in the form of Sentebale’s recent financials. Are Willy and Iain (it’s gotta be them) counting on their tame rota to ignore Chandauka’s financial mismanagement at least during the Sussexes’ Australia trip, and then they cut her loose when they no longer need her?
Someone (sorry I forgot who it was) said it’s interesting that the media are going for Meghan and haven’t attacked yet. Well now we know why. These people just can’t help themselves. They’re doing everything they can to undermine Harry and Meghan and what a better time to do it – just before their overseas visit.
Well I hope the awful woman has been paid well for her treachery because when “they” have no further use for her she will be out in the cold. Her reputation is in tatters and I very much doubt any reputable organisation will touch her with a 10ft bargepole.
As others have said Harry should have taken the viper to court when all this nonsense first started. If this does go to court I hope it proves without a shadow of a doubt that the woman is a liar and a thief.
Can anyone here speak to what burden of proof for defamation looks like in the English courts?
“Call-Me-Doctor” Chandauka really is a poison pill. To have served this organization previously, Sentebale, and seen up close the good work they were doing, to quit, and then to come back in like a human wrecking ball and destroy it? Pure evil.
And for what? Money? Cozying up to a vindictive, useless person who creates nothing good in the world, like BillyIdle?
I hope she never gets a decent night’s sleep for the rest of her miserable life.
And I hope Harry and his excellent legal team do what they do, and shred her into tiny screaming pieces.
How clever of Willie to get a Black woman to do his bidding. Maybe he was so impressed with Nikki Minaj that he thought, “You know, this can work for me. I’m a repulsive, racist white man, too!” And voila.
Billy thinks that because he can not address multiple issues, adjust in real time or ignore nonsense that others can’t either. He let the Susan Hussey issue derail the Boston visit. He didn’t properly address the discussions about repartitions and colonialism ahead of the Caribbean tour so it was a mess from the first country. Since he can neither lead nor manage he thinks an unexpected event derails everyone like it does it him.
Harry can both lead and pivot. He’s been building businesses in the US while suing multiple entities for years. Its laughable to think a new lawsuit will impact Harry’s visit. All this will do is give British tabloids something new to lie about as the Sussexes continue to drive them crazy by ignoring them.
Billy and his dastardly plans against Harry.
The good thing about this story is that photos of Meghan at this event are being used again. She looked absolutely flawless here. She really made that dress into something, because it was totally different on the model. I’m not surprised it became a Heidi Merrick best seller and sold out multiple times. 10s across the board, and the pictures don’t let the outfit down either. Beautiful scenery and weather. Not to mention Harry looked great on Meghan’s arm.
I won’t let this lady ruin my feelings on the flawlessness Meghan served here. It was incredible.
This is the new Heritage Foundation US visa nuisance lawsuit. The perfect diversion from Paedy-Andrew for the royals and their media sycophants.
Harry really should have sued her ass first, he was just too nice. Now she emboldened by the spineless Charity Commission “both siding” the dispute, when it was clearly HER behaviour that was egregious, she’s been funded by someone to strike first.
Harry should ABSOLUTELY counter-sue, all gloves off!!! I’d say he needs to see Sophia-the-Con as just another NGN or Daily Mail, and go for the jugular.
Actually he shouldn’t just counter-sue for libel, he and all the other former trustees should get together and sue her for embezzlement and fraud.
Someone wants Harry’s attention really bad. Instead of both princes, they want the baddie prince. They are coming for the swagger ginger who surfs and skis. The one running her mouth and changing her story is suing for defamation. They’re creating a new storyline for the deranged tabloid reporters to eat off of. We’re tired of the tiara gate and crying Kate storylines. This is going to backfire on them big time. Picture the handsome prince strolling into court while the bald headed one runs away.
I have been saying for a long time, and will continue to say, that William and Charles (especially William) will stop at nothing to destroy Harry and Meghan. All of these books and articles, criticizing Harry and Meghan (especially Meghan) are coming straight from the royals. On a large scale, when (not if) H&M succeed, it will call into question the relevance of the entire family and their reliance on public funding. Harry needs to write Spare II. This constant attack is completely crazy.
Huh. So the royal reporters and media just got a win. Bc hey let’s talk about catnip right? Sophie will be demolished but the BM will be fed. Cool cool cool. All the love to the OG Sentablae team and the Sussex family and all the karma to Sophie and anyone else who is aiding this clown show.
So falsely accusing Harry of bullying is somehow defaming Sentebale? I hope a heaping bus load of bad karma runs these folks into the ground.