Prince Harry Shocked Resigns From Charity He Founded In Honor Of His Late Mother

British Royal family news reveals The Duke of Sussex has stepped down from an African charity he founded nearly two decades ago due to internal conflicts within the organization.

He expressed that he is “in shock” and “truly heartbroken,” he had founded it in honor of his late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales.

Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso, co-founder of Lesotho, announced on Tuesday that they are stepping down as patrons until further notice.

This decision follows the resignation of trustees due to a conflict with the chair, Dr. Sophie Chandauka, a lawyer appointed in 2023. Harry founded Sentebale in Lesotho in 2006 to honor his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, after his visit to the country during his gap year.

In their statement, Harry and Seeiso said, “These trustees acted in the charity’s best interest by requesting the chair’s resignation while considering the staff’s wellbeing.

In response, she has taken legal action against the charity to retain her voluntary position, highlighting the deteriorating relationship.”

The Conflict Centered On Fundraising Priorities

The conflict reportedly revolves around a choice to focus fundraising efforts in Africa, according to the Times.

The princes expressed, “We appreciate all the trustees for their years of service and are genuinely saddened that they had to take this action; what has happened is unimaginable.

We are shocked that we must do this, but we have a duty to Sentebale’s beneficiaries, so we will communicate all our concerns to the Charity Commission regarding how this situation arose.”

Harry’s involvement with Sentebale was one of the few private roles he kept after losing his royal patronages and honorary military titles from the late Queen in 2021.

What Is Sentebale?

Sentebale, which translates to “Forget me not,” was established to support individuals in Lesotho and Botswana who are living in poverty and those affected by HIV and AIDS.

Former board members Timothy Boucher, Mark Dyer, Audrey Kgosidintsi, Kelello Lerotholi, and Damian West issued a statement about their unanimous decision to resign.

They expressed, “Today’s decision is incredibly difficult for all of us, but we feel there is no other way forward due to our diminished trust and confidence in the board chair.”

A representative for the charity mentioned that neither of the royal patrons has resigned and added, “We are happy to announce the restructuring of our board on March 25, 2025.

This is to bring in experts with the skills and connections needed to advance Sentebale’s transformation agenda as previously stated last year.”

Chandauka’s Response

In response, Chandauka stated, “Everything I do at Sentebale aims to uphold the organization’s integrity, its mission, and the young people we support. My actions are driven by the values of fairness and equal treatment for everyone, regardless of their social or financial situation. There are individuals who act as if they are above the law, mistreat others, and then portray themselves as victims, using the media they criticize to attack those who dare to confront their behavior. Thoughtful readers might wonder: why would the chair of the board report her own trustees to the Charity Commission? Why would the High Court of England and Wales consider her application if the case lacked merit?”

A Victim Narrative?

Underneath the victim narrative and the fictional stories circulated to the media, there lies the true account of a woman.

A woman who bravely exposed problems such as poor governance, ineffective leadership, abuse of authority, bullying, harassment, and misogyny, as well as the subsequent cover-up.

The Charity Commission informed the BBC that it is “aware of concerns regarding Sentebale’s governance.”

In a statement, they mentioned, “We are evaluating these issues to decide on the necessary regulatory actions.” It all certainly does sound like a royal mess! 

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