Prince Harry's co-founded charity Sentebale has come under sharp criticism from the U.K.'s Charity Commission after a boardroom dispute between trustees and its chair played out in public, damaging the charity's reputation. While the regulator found no evidence of systemic bullying or misconduct, it concluded that poor governance and internal conflicts undermined public trust.
The Commission's report follows a months-long investigation into Sentebale, which was co-founded in 2006 by Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho to support vulnerable children in southern Africa, particularly those living with HIV/AIDS. Both patrons resigned in March amid a heated dispute with board chair Dr. Sophie Chandauka.
"The Commission has identified a lack of clarity around role descriptions and internal policies as the primary cause for weaknesses in the charity's management," the regulator said. It criticized all parties for allowing tensions to escalate publicly and for failing to resolve disputes internally, which it said "risked undermining public trust in charities more generally."
David Holdsworth, Chief Executive of the Charity Commission, said: "Sentebale's problems played out in the public eye, enabling a damaging dispute to harm the charity's reputation, risk overshadowing its many achievements, and jeopardising the charity's ability to deliver for the very beneficiaries it was created to serve."
The watchdog issued a Regulatory Action Plan calling for improved governance measures, including clearer patron roles, stronger whistleblowing protocols, and enhanced complaint handling. The commission also noted financial strains following the Covid-19 pandemic had exacerbated internal tensions.
Prince Harry's spokesperson welcomed the finding that he was cleared of any wrongdoing but criticized the outcome. "The Charity Commission... makes no findings of wrongdoing in relation to Sentebale's Co-Founder and former Patron, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex," the statement read. However, it added, "the consequences of the current Chair's actions will not be borne by her - but by the children who rely on Sentebale's support."
Dr. Chandauka, in response to the report, defended her leadership and highlighted the charity's continued impact. "We have continued to directly serve children and young people in Lesotho and Botswana with the steadfast support of long-standing funders, strategic partners, and community leaders," she said. "Our phenomenal team will directly serve more than 78,000 children and young people this year, matching or exceeding our impact in 2024 at a time of acute need in the region."
The commission said no evidence of widespread bullying, harassment, misogyny, or racism was found, but acknowledged that "a strong perception of ill treatment" existed among some former trustees. It emphasized that the public airing of grievances, including media interviews and statements, "did not serve the charity's best interests."
Prince Harry's office said he remains committed to supporting children in southern Africa, adding that Sentebale "has been a deeply personal and transformative mission" for him and Prince Seeiso. "With the original mission of Sentebale firmly in mind - and in honour of the legacy he and Prince Seeiso began - the Duke of Sussex will now focus on finding new ways to continue supporting the children of Lesotho and Botswana," the statement said.
