Prince Harry Diverts Princess Diana Memorial Fund Cash From Sentebale to Elephant Charity After Bitter Fallout

Prince Harry has redirected his share of income from the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund to Elephants Without Borders in Botswana, official accounts for the Royal Foundation confirm. The Duke's share had previously been directed to Sentebale, the charity he co-founded in 2006, but the arrangement changed in 2025 following a public dispute that led to his departure from the organisation.

The Diana fund was established after the princess's death in 1997 and closed in 2012, with the Royal Foundation assuming legal control in 2013 to manage residual donations and legacies. Since Prince William and Prince Harry separated their charitable work following the Sussexes' departure from royal duties in 2020, the brothers have split future proceeds from the fund, each nominating causes reflecting their own priorities.

Harry Switches Diana Fund Cash to Elephant Charity

For years, Harry directed his portion of the fund to Sentebale, the charity he co-founded in 2006 to support children affected by poverty and HIV/Aids in Lesotho, Botswana and Malawi. According to annual accounts filed by the Royal Foundation, Sentebale has received £43,866 from the memorial fund since 2020, with a payment of £16,743 made in 2024.

That arrangement ended in 2025 after Sentebale's relationship with the Duke deteriorated following a public dispute with the charity's chairman, Sophie Chandauka, which led to Harry and the board of trustees stepping down. Sentebale later filed a defamation claim against the Duke, accusing him of coordinating an 'adverse media campaign' that caused 'operational disruption and reputational harm'.

Harry has rejected the allegations as 'offensive and damaging', and the legal case remains ongoing, so the competing claims should be treated as unresolved. The Royal Foundation's latest accounts record that in 2025, for the first time, Harry's share of the fund, £5,432, was donated to Elephants Without Borders rather than Sentebale.

The report states that, in line with the Duke's request, 'half of the net proceeds received by the Diana Fund since 18 December 2019 are being donated to a charity of The Duke's choosing. In 2025 all funds will be donated to Elephants Without Borders.'

Why Botswana? Harry's Longstanding Attachment to the Okavango

The decision reflects Harry's long-standing attachment to Botswana. He has known Elephants Without Borders founder Dr Mike Chase for more than 20 years, and Dr Chase said that the latest funding paid for satellite-tracking collars for two elephants in the Okavango Delta, named Archie and Lili after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's children.

Prince Archie chose a blue collar and Princess Lilibet a purple one before the elephants were released across the northern Botswana plains. 'The Duke has a very strong passion for the Okavango Delta, Botswana, its people, and its wildlife,' Dr Chase said, describing Harry's backing through the Diana Memorial Fund as a 'tremendous honour' and adding that naming the elephants after the children allowed them to 'follow the animals' movements in real time'.

The family's ties to the charity date back to August 2017, when Dr Chase was among those told Harry was dating Meghan Markle. The couple later joined Elephants Without Borders in Botswana for World Elephant Day, and Harry returned in 2019 to plant trees with the organisation along the Chobe River during a royal tour. In 2020, Meghan narrated the Disney documentary Elephant, donating her fee to the charity.

Royal Foundation Reports Surging Income

The Royal Foundation separately reported a 'landmark' year in 2025, with income rising from £12.2 million to £19.6 million, supported by an updated fundraising strategy and legacy income for projects including Prince William's Homewards homelessness initiative and the Princess of Wales's early childhood work. Unrestricted income climbed from £6.8 million to £11 million, while its US partner, American Friends of the Royal Foundation, donated almost £8.7 million, up from £4.9 million in 2024.

The redirection of Harry's Diana Fund income is financially small, just £5,432, but symbolically significant, severing the last formal link between the Duke and the charity he founded almost two decades ago. His deepening ties to Botswana suggest a quieter, more personal model of philanthropy, far from the royal structures he has left behind.