The chair of a charity set up by the Duke of Sussex has accused him of ‘harassment and bullying at scale’ after he resigned as patron earlier this week.
Dr Sophie Chandauka, chair of Sentebale, said the prince had ‘unleashed the Sussex machine on me’.
Harry quit with his co-founder and the board of trustees from Sentebale, launched in 2006 to support young people in southern Africa living with HIV and Aids.
Citing ‘untenable’ infighting, the duke and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho said ‘the relationship between the charity’s trustees and the chair of the board broke down beyond repair’.
In an extraordinary interview, Dr Chandauka criticised Harry for going to the press.
She told Sky News: ‘The only reason I’m here… is because at some point on Tuesday, Prince Harry authorised the release of a damaging piece of news to the outside world without informing me or my country directors, or my executive director.
‘And can you imagine what that attack has done for me, on me and the 540 individuals in the Sentebale organisations and their family?
‘That is an example of harassment and bullying at scale.’
Dr Chandauka had earlier claimed she was asked by Harry’s team to defend his wife Meghan from negative media coverage.
‘I said no, we’re not setting a precedent by which we become an extension of the Sussex PR machine,’ she told the Financial Times.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex declined to offer a response, according to Sky News. Metro has also contacted them for comment.
A source close to the former trustees has said claims of bullying and harassment and of Prince Harry briefing against Dr Chandauka are ‘completely baseless’.
Several Sentebale trustees have left the organisation in a dispute with Dr Chandauka, having requested her resignation.
According to the Times, the dispute arose around a decision to focus fundraising in Africa.
In a joint statement, Harry and Prince Seeiso backed the departing trustees and said they had resigned as patrons until further notice.
They said: ‘Nearly 20 years ago, we founded Sentebale in honour of our mothers. Sentebale means “forget-me-not” in Sesotho, the local language of Lesotho, and it’s what we’ve always promised for the young people we’ve served through this charity.
‘Today is no different. With heavy hearts, we have resigned from our roles as Patrons of the organisation until further notice, in support of and solidarity with the board of trustees who have had to do the same.
‘It is devastating that the relationship between the charity’s trustees and the chair of the board broke down beyond repair, creating an untenable situation.’
In response, Dr Chandauka appeared to criticise the duke for ‘playing the victim card’.
She said in a statement: ‘Everything I do at Sentebale is in pursuit of the integrity of the organisation, its mission, and the young people we serve.
‘My actions are guided by the principles of fairness and equitable treatment for all, regardless of social status or financial means.
‘There are people in this world who behave as though they are above the law and mistreat people, and then play the victim card and use the very press they disdain to harm people who have the courage to challenge their conduct.’
She added: ‘Beneath all the victim narrative and fiction that has been syndicated to press is 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.
‘I could be anyone. I just happen to be an educated woman who understands that the law will guide and protect me. I will say nothing further on this matter at this time.’
Former trustee, Dr Kelello Lerotholi, told Sky News he did not recognise the allegations, saying the ‘tone and conduct of the board has been one of respect’.
Harry spent two months in the kingdom of Lesotho during his gap year when he was 19 in 2004, which inspired him to establish the charity two years later, which now also works in Botswana.
He came face-to-face with Aids orphans, met other traumatised young people and visited herd boys living a harsh existence looking after cattle in remote mountain areas.
The duke visited Lesotho and the prince as recently as last October, where he talked to a group of young people around a campfire about the ‘massive difference’ Sentebale was making.
He was also pictured with Dr Chandauka at a charity polo event in Florida in April 2024 to benefit Sentebale.
Sentebale said it had not received resignations from either of the royal patrons and said the ‘recalibration of the board is part of Sentebale’s ambitious transformation agenda’.
Harry’s role at Sentebale was one of a small number of private patronages he retained after he was stripped of his royal patronages and honorary military positions by the late Queen in 2021 after his departure from the working monarchy was confirmed for good a year after Megxit.
The Charity Commission said it was ‘aware of concerns about the governance’ of Sentebale.
‘We are assessing the issues to determine the appropriate regulatory steps,’ the commission said in a statement.
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