Prince Harry's bitter fallout with Sentebale, the African charity he co-founded, could lead to a dramatic decline in financial support for the organization, royal experts warned this week, as a damning governance report and public feud cast doubt on its future stability.
Veteran royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams said the Duke of Sussex's break with Sentebale, following a regulatory probe by the Charity Commission for England and Wales, could severely impact donations. "We're going to see undoubtedly is a huge drop because one thing Harry did do for all his fault and that is he put a lot of money into Sentebale," Fitzwilliams stated. "I think he'll be pretty devastated."
The Commission released its findings Tuesday, citing no "widespread or systemic bullying, harassment, misogyny or misogynoir" by Prince Harry or current trustees. Still, the report criticized poor governance practices, unclear leadership roles, and a lack of internal complaint resolution mechanisms. The Commission noted that while individual misconduct was not found, "several people involved felt they had been mistreated."
Prince Harry responded through a spokesperson, declaring, "Unsurprisingly, the Commission makes no findings of wrongdoing in relation to Sentebale's Co-Founder and former Patron, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex." The statement continued, "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."
Dr. Sophie Chandauka, chairwoman of Sentebale, had previously accused Prince Harry of "unacceptable behaviour." In a statement following the Commission's report, she said, "The unexpected adverse media campaign that was launched by those who resigned on 24 March 2025 has caused incalculable damage and offers a glimpse of the unacceptable behaviors displayed in private."
A source close to Prince Harry told GB News that the Duke would "categorically not do it under the jurisdiction of the Charity Commission for England and Wales, which he has no faith in and would go as far to say that he believes isn't fit for purpose."
Fitzwilliams noted that Prince Harry's strongly worded statement - in which he blamed the consequences of the charity's mismanagement on its leadership - underscored the likelihood of a permanent split. "He won't do anything under the jurisdiction of the Charity Commission," Fitzwilliams said. He also suggested that Harry may now be considering launching a rival organization to continue his philanthropic work.
A source cited by People echoed that sentiment, stating that both Prince Harry and co-founder Prince Seeiso of Lesotho were "devastated by what has effectively been a hostile takeover by Sophie Chandauka." The source added, "This was Prince Seeiso and Prince Harry's life work. They established it 19 years ago and in that time put in blood, sweat and tears and their own money into building this charity up to what it was."
Sentebale, which provides support to children and young people affected by HIV in Lesotho and Botswana, accepted the Commission's findings and said it would implement the recommended improvements. However, questions remain about how the organization will sustain its funding base without Prince Harry's involvement.
