The chairwoman of the charity co-founded by Prince Harry, Sophie Chandauka, has made serious allegations against him, claiming he engaged in “harassment and bullying at scale” during a televised interview on Sunday. This statement comes in the wake of Prince Harry's recent decision to resign as a patron of Sentebale, alongside co-founder Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, and the board of trustees.
During her appearance on Sky's Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, Chandauka asserted that Prince Harry unleashed “the Sussex (PR) machine” against her earlier this week. She highlighted that on Tuesday, the Duke of Sussex authorized the release of a damaging news story without informing her, her country directors, or her executive director. “Can you imagine what that attack has done for me, on me and the 540 individuals in the Sentebale organizations and their family?” she questioned, reinforcing her view that this incident constituted severe harassment and bullying.
A source close to the charity’s trustees and patrons revealed that they had anticipated such a publicity stunt and had made their collective decision to resign with this in mind. “They remain firm in their resignation, for the good of the charity, and look forward to the adjudication of the truth,” the source informed CNN. This statement also contested Chandauka's assertion that the media was informed about their departures before the charity was notified. According to the source, both Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso submitted their resignation letters to Chandauka and the trustees on March 10.
In a separate interview published on Saturday, Chandauka accused Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso of wanting to “force a failure and then come to the rescue” of Sentebale. The specific details of this conflict remain unclear; however, Chandauka mentioned to the Financial Times that tensions had arisen between the charity’s UK-based staff and those in Lesotho and Botswana. This friction, she noted, was sparked by her attempts to transform the organization and delegate decision-making authority to leaders in southern Africa.
In response to the unfolding events, Prince Harry expressed that he was “in shock” after his decision to step down from the charity he established in 2006. Sentebale was created with the mission of supporting young individuals affected by HIV and AIDS in Lesotho and Botswana, a cause close to his heart as it honors his late mother, Princess Diana, who passed away in a tragic car accident in Paris.
In a joint statement issued with Prince Seeiso, Harry expressed that their resignation was made “with heavy hearts” and emphasized that they would remain out of their roles “until further notice.” Meanwhile, Chandauka's statement this week appeared to criticize the 40-year-old royal for “playing the victim card.” She maintained that everything she does at Sentebale is in pursuit of the organization’s integrity, its mission, and the young people they serve.
Chandauka described the current situation as “the story of a woman who dared to blow the whistle about issues of poor governance, weak executive management, abuse of power, bullying, harassment, misogyny, misogynoir – and the coverup that ensued.” These allegations highlight the complexities and challenges facing Sentebale, as it navigates internal strife while continuing its vital mission.
As the situation develops, it remains crucial for both parties to address their differences transparently for the sake of the charity and the vulnerable communities it serves.
