The Duke of Sussex has managed to find a new opponent in the High Court, and this time it is the very charity he cofounded in memory of his mother. Sentebale, the organisation set up to help children with HIV in Africa, is suing Harry for defamation. It turns out that when the Prince said goodbye to the charity last year, it was not exactly a hug and a handshake.
The charity claims that Harry and his mate Mark Dyer orchestrated a coordinated media attack that caused absolute chaos. Harry naturally rejects the whole thing as offensive, but it seems the court will have to decide who is telling the truth. For a man who spends a lot of time talking about his mental health, he seems to be having a very stressful year in the legal system.
Fundraising Flops and Netflix Flops
The whole mess supposedly started over a new fundraising strategy in the US. Things went from bad to worse when the chairperson, Sophie Chandauka, accused Harry of trying to bully her out of her job. She was particularly annoyed that Harry rocked up to a fundraiser with a Netflix camera crew in tow. She also was not exactly thrilled when Meghan made an unplanned appearance at the same event. It seems even charity work cannot escape the reality TV treatment these days.
The Charity Commission had a look into the drama and found no evidence of bullying, but they did give everyone a metaphorical slap on the wrist. They criticised both sides for being messy and allowing their private bickering to go public. They pointed out that while the rich and famous were arguing over who gets to be the boss, the actual children the charity is supposed to help were the ones losing out.
Forget Me Not or Please Forget Me
The name Sentebale means forget me not in the local language of Lesotho. It was meant to be a beautiful tribute to Princess Diana and her work with AIDS patients. However, after this public falling out, the charity might be wishing they could forget the last few months entirely. Harry and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho both resigned as patrons last March, but the legal drama is only just getting started.
Sentebale says the false narratives being spread have trashed their reputation and scared off partners. They want the court to step in and fix the harm caused by what they call a reputational crisis. It is a bit of a blow for Harry, who only kept a few of his private patronages after he ditched the Royal Family back in 2020. Now, even those remaining links are snapping under the weight of lawyers and press releases.
A Very Public Divorce
This is just the latest chapter in the long running saga of Harry vs Everyone. While he tries to build a new life in California, his past in the UK keeps dragging him back to the witness stand. The High Court in London is becoming a second home for him, though I doubt he gets a royal discount on the legal fees.
With a general election and other global dramas happening, a royal spat over a charity board meeting might seem small, but the damage to Harry’s brand is very real. It is one thing to fight the British tabloids, but fighting a charity for vulnerable children is a much harder PR battle to win.
Do you think Harry is the victim of a management coup, or has he finally found a fight that even a Prince cannot win?
Related topics: Africa
