Prince Harry announced on March 25 that he has resigned as a patron of Sentebale, the charity he co-founded in memory of his mother, following a prolonged dispute between the charity’s chair and the board of trustees that has become public.
Harry and co-founder Prince Seeiso of Lesotho stated that they stepped down in solidarity with five board members who resigned over the conflict with chair Sophie Chandauka. Both Chandauka and the former trustees have accused each other of misconduct and have submitted claims and evidence to Britain’s Charity Commission.
Harry founded Sentebale in 2006. The recent leadership turmoil arose after the five resigning trustees—Timothy Boucher, Mark Dyer, Audrey Kgosidintsi, Kelello Lerotholi, and Damian West—expressed a loss of “trust and confidence” in Ms. Chandauka and called for her resignation. In response, Ms. Chandauka, appointed in 2023, allegedly filed a lawsuit to prevent her removal, prompting the trustees to resign to avoid imposing legal costs on the charity.
In their statement, the former trustees emphasized that their decision was not made lightly but was necessary to protect the charity. Harry and Seeiso supported the trustees' actions, expressing shock at the circumstances and affirming their ongoing responsibility to Sentebale’s beneficiaries.
Ms. Chandauka accused the former trustees of poor governance and alleged instances of bullying and harassment. She stated that she had reported the trustees to the Charity Commission and had appointed four new trustees following their resignation. In media interviews, she claimed that Harry had attempted to intimidate her but noted that their personal relationship had been positive.
Sentebale was founded to assist communities affected by the H.I.V. pandemic in Lesotho and has since expanded its focus to include issues such as substance abuse and gender-based violence among youth. The charity is registered in Britain, despite its operations being primarily in southern Africa.
Both parties have filed complaints with the Charity Commission, which is currently assessing the situation to determine the appropriate regulatory actions.