Prince Harry has been cleared of any wrongdoing by the Charity Commission for England and Wales following an investigation into allegations of bullying and mismanagement at Sentebale, the nonprofit he co-founded in 2006 with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho. While the Commission found no evidence of "widespread or systemic bullying, harassment, misogyny or misogynoir" at the organization, it harshly criticized the charity's leadership for allowing internal disputes to erupt publicly, severely damaging its reputation.
"Unsurprisingly, the Commission makes no findings of wrongdoing in relation to Sentebale's Co-Founder and former Patron, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex," said a spokesperson for Prince Harry. "They also found no evidence of widespread bullying, harassment or misogyny and misogynoir at the charity, as falsely claimed by the current Chair."
The statement further condemned the outcome, stating, "Despite all that, their report falls troublingly short in many regards, primarily the fact that the consequences of the current Chair's actions will not be borne by her - but by the children who rely on Sentebale's support."
The regulator's findings followed a highly publicized dispute that culminated in the mass resignation of trustees, and the departure of Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso from their roles as patrons. In a March 27 statement, the two founders said, "With heavy hearts, we have resigned from our roles as Patrons of the organisation until further notice, in support of and solidarity with the board of trustees who have had to do the same."
The charity's current chair, Dr. Sophie Chandauka, had previously accused Prince Harry of "harassment and bullying at scale" in a Sky News interview, following the leadership breakdown. She claimed the Duke of Sussex had "authorized the release of a damaging piece of news to the outside world" without informing her or the charity's directors.
The Charity Commission found no basis for those claims but criticized the lack of clarity around internal policies and roles, calling it the "primary cause for weaknesses in the charity's management." It stated that this confusion exacerbated tensions and led to an "untenable" environment that saw the departure of the board and founding patrons.
Chandauka responded to the Commission's findings by stating, "I appreciate the Charity Commission for its conclusions, which confirm the governance concerns I raised privately in February 2025." She added that the charity survived an "unexpected adverse media campaign" and praised the remaining staff for staying focused amid "unprecedented media glare."
"Despite the recent turbulence, we will always be inspired by the vision of our Founders, Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso," she said, while calling on supporters to "walk with us as Sentebale recovers, renews, and rises."
But a source close to the former trustees described it as "appalling" that Chandauka invoked the memory of Princess Diana and Queen 'Mamohato "for her own good." Another source familiar with the situation told PEOPLE, "Both Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso are devastated by what has effectively been a hostile takeover by Sophie Chandauka."
In their resignation announcement, the founders said they were "truly heartbroken" and would present their concerns to the Charity Commission. "What's transpired is unthinkable," they said. "We are in shock that we have to do this."
Sources close to Prince Harry emphasized that his commitment to the children of Lesotho and Botswana remains unwavering. "He will keep his options open," one said. "Whether that means raising money for pre-existing charities that are doing good work in those countries or establishing something independent and new ."
The Commission's report directed Sentebale to adopt clearer internal policies, improve complaints and whistleblowing procedures, and implement a more structured delegation of authority. The current board has accepted the findings and committed to the regulatory action plan. The Commission will monitor progress against specific timelines.
Sentebale's former trustees expressed disappointment, stating, "We are disheartened by the way in which the Charity Commission has chosen to ignore key concerns and irrefutable evidence raised with them regarding the leadership and oversight of Sentebale's Chair."
They added, "We remain gravely concerned for the future of the charity and the wellbeing of the communities we served for 19 years, following the mission set out by Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso in honour of their mothers."
