An escalating conflict has emerged between Prince Harry and Sophie Chandauka, a leader of the charity Sentebale, which Harry co-founded. Chandauka has accused Harry of harassment and bullying aimed at forcing her out of her position as chair of the board of trustees.
Chandauka stated that Harry's recent resignation as the charity's patron was a calculated move intended to harm the organization after his unsuccessful attempts to remove her from her role. In an interview with Sky News, she expressed concern for the impact of this situation on herself and the 540 individuals associated with Sentebale.
A spokesperson for Harry and his wife, Meghan, declined to comment on Chandauka's allegations, which were made during the Sky News program “Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips.”
Sentebale, established in 2006 in memory of Harry's late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, aims to support young victims of the H.I.V. pandemic in Lesotho and has expanded its efforts to address issues such as substance abuse, gender-based violence, and climate change affecting youth.
Harry, known as the Duke of Sussex, announced his resignation alongside co-founder Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, citing an irreparable breakdown in the relationship between the board and Chandauka. This announcement followed the resignation of five out of nine board members, who expressed a loss of trust and confidence in her leadership.
In a joint statement, Harry and Prince Seeiso expressed their shock at the situation, emphasizing their responsibility to Sentebale’s beneficiaries. The ongoing dispute has escalated to legal proceedings in an English court and has been brought to the attention of the Charity Commission, which oversees charities in England and Wales.
Chandauka, a lawyer with a background at Morgan Stanley and Meta, was appointed chair of Sentebale in July 2023, having previously served as a trustee from 2009 to 2015. She cited various instances of mistreatment, including a public incident at a polo match in Miami, where Meghan appeared to request a change in seating arrangements, raising questions about her behavior.
Chandauka also revealed that Harry had asked her to issue a statement supporting Meghan, which she declined, stating that the charity should not be an extension of the Sussexes. She noted that the polo match's location had been altered due to Harry's insistence on bringing a camera crew for a Netflix documentary.
Chandauka described the ongoing tensions between Harry, Meghan, and the British royal family as a significant risk to the charity, referring to the situation as an “unleashing of the Sussex machine.” Despite her criticisms, she characterized her overall relationship with Harry as “fantastic,” while highlighting the mistreatment she faced from certain board members.