Prince Harry 'devastated': 'His life's work'

In March 2025, Prince Harry announced that he and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho were resigning until further notice as patrons of Sentebale, the South African non-profit organisation they co-founded in 2006. Their sudden departure was linked to the resignation of Sentebale’s board after its chair, Dr. Sophie Chandauka, who had held the position since July 2023, reportedly refused to step down.

The Sentebale CEO claimed she was asked to resign after "daring to expose issues of mismanagement, poor leadership, abuse of power, bullying, abuse, harassment, misogyny, and misogynoir." According to People magazine, Dr. Chandauka put the organization in financial trouble and allegedly led to the demise of the Sentebale Polo Cup.

The Sentebale scandal. What's it all about?

This event, a major fundraising source for the organization, was supposed to be canceled in 2024 due to a conflict between the chairwoman and the main benefactor. Dr. Chandauka also allegedly spent over $600,000 on outside consultants without board approval. After another fundraising failure, the board formally requested Sentebale's resignation in February 2025.

Dr. Chandauka allegedly refused and filed a motion to invalidate the vote. Consequently, the board resigned. The princes sided with the board. Sentebale, the chairwoman, also reportedly sued the organization to remain in office. The Duke of Sussex raised his concerns with the Charities Commission for England and Wales, seeking an explanation for the situation.

Dr. Sophie Chandauka Didn't Want to Defend Meghan Markle

Dr. Chandauka stated that her conflict with Prince Harry began when she refused to publicly defend his wife, Meghan Markle, in an incident in April 2024. During a photoshoot at the Royal Salute Polo Challenge charity event, a video surfaced in which the Duchess of Sussex motioned for Chief Sentebale to stand next to her instead of her husband. This sparked rumors of tension between the women.

Prince Harry wanted Dr. Chandauka to speak out on the matter, but she declined. The Charities Commission for England and Wales launched an investigation into Sentebale in April 2025 and four months later concluded that it found no evidence of Dr. Chandauka's accusations. Nor did it find any wrongdoing by Prince Harry or Dr. Chandauka. However, it criticized the parties for publicly playing out their internal dispute.

The Commission has completed its investigation

A lack of clarity around role descriptions and internal policies was identified as a key reason for weaknesses in the charity's governance. Sentebale noted, however, that "the Commission did not investigate any individual allegations and therefore did not report any findings in relation to any individuals, including the Duke of Sussex." Former Sentebale board members said they were "disheartened" by the investigation's findings and "deeply concerned about the charity's future."

The current board has accepted the Commission's recommendations to improve the way internal disputes are resolved and organizational roles are defined. A spokesperson for Prince Harry emphasized in a statement that while the Commission's findings were not surprising, the report "is disturbingly incomplete" regarding Dr. Chandauka's alleged actions. According to People, the princes "were devastated by what was effectively a hostile takeover by Dr. Chandauka."

Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho have no intention of returning

They noted that it was their "life's work." The Duke of Sussex believed the organization was a continuation of Princess Diana's efforts to help people with AIDS. The Prince of Lesotho, in turn, founded Sentebale in honor of his mother, Queen Mamohato. Both see no possibility of returning to the organization as long as Dr. Chandauka remains at its helm. Former board members also found it outrageous that Sentebale's head referred to the princes' deceased mothers.

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