Prince Harry's longstanding ties to Sentebale, the HIV and AIDS charity he co-founded nearly two decades ago in memory of Princess Diana, were severed last week in a dramatic public split marked by allegations of bullying, broken governance, and personal betrayal.
The Duke of Sussex, along with his co-founder Prince Seeiso of Lesotho and the charity's five trustees, resigned en masse amid what they called an "irreparably broken" relationship with Sentebale's chair, Dr. Sophie Chandauka. Their resignations followed months of growing tensions and culminated in a governance crisis that has cast doubt over the future of one of Harry's most personal philanthropic ventures.
According to a joint statement issued by the two princes, the mass departure came after "an untenable situation" developed. "It is devastating that the relationship between the charity's trustees and the chair of the board broke down beyond repair," the statement read.
Chandauka, a Zimbabwean-born lawyer and corporate executive, has pushed back forcefully, accusing Harry and his allies of orchestrating a campaign of harassment and intimidation to force her out. "This went on for months," Chandauka told The Times. "It went on through bullying, harassment." She alleged that after refusing to resign, Harry and his team began "to brief sponsors against me and the charity."
The conflict escalated following a polo fundraiser in Florida last April, when Prince Harry reportedly brought a Netflix crew to film the event for a docuseries. Chandauka said the production's involvement caused the venue's cost to spike, requiring a last-minute relocation arranged through Harry's connections. She also cited friction over Meghan Markle's unannounced attendance, which allegedly resulted in an awkward photo-op during the trophy presentation.
The Telegraph reported that Harry sent Chandauka an "unpleasant" message following the event, demanding she "explain herself" for refusing to publicly defend Meghan. Sources described the message as imperious and said it left Chandauka feeling "taken aback."
Chandauka further alleged that she had been pressured to allow the charity to function as an extension of the Sussex brand, something she said she "categorically rejected." "We cannot be an extension of the Sussexes," she told Sky News, claiming that branding concerns following Harry and Meghan's royal exit in 2020 led to a drop in donors.
A source close to Harry countered those claims, telling The Times the accusations were "total bollocks," and insisted that the prince had raised nearly $16 million for Sentebale, including over $1 million in proceeds from his memoir Spare. "What Harry has made clear is he's not walking away from Sentebale - he is just not currently able to fulfill his role," the source said.
Harry's close friend, Alex Rayner, speaking on the prince's behalf, said he was "beyond heartbroken" over the crisis. "It feels tantamount to a hostile takeover," Rayner said. "The way he feels is as if he has had one of his fingers cut off."
Chandauka, who assumed the chair position in July 2023, said she had been brought in to diversify the charity's income streams. She has defended her record and accused the board of retaliating after she raised concerns about "weak governance, weak executive management, abuse of power, bullying, harassment, misogyny, misogynoir - and the cover-up that ensued."
In the wake of the resignations, each former trustee has reportedly submitted a report to the U.K. Charity Commission. One submission accuses Chandauka of "manipulation of minutes" and fabricating claims of bullying and misogyny. A source close to her has denied the allegation.
Sentebale's financial stability has also come under scrutiny. Since Chandauka's appointment, reserves have reportedly fallen below the organization's safety threshold of $776,283. Chandauka acknowledged the shortfall but said the charity is still awaiting pledged donations totaling $1.75 million.
Despite the public rupture, Harry has not ruled out returning to Sentebale. "If there's a choice for them to carry on in the way they were, then he'd want that," a friend told The Times. "Harry's commitment to the people and the issues is ongoing."
