NEED TO KNOW
Prince Harry announced in March 2025 that he was stepping down from Sentebale, a charity he co-founded almost two decades ago
His abrupt departure followed the resignation of Sentebale’s board after their chairwoman, Dr. Sophie Chandauka, allegedly refused to step down
While the board claimed Dr. Chandauka put the charity under financial pressure, she alleged her resignation request was the result of experiencing bullying and harassment
Prince Harry is speaking out about why he parted ways with his long-time charity.
The Duke of Sussex announced in March 2025 that he and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho were stepping down as patrons of Sentebale, a Southern African nonprofit they co-founded nearly two decades ago.
“With heavy hearts, we have resigned from our roles as patrons of the organization until further notice, in support of and solidarity with the board of trustees who have had to do the same,” the princes said in a joint statement. “It is devastating that the relationship between the charity’s trustees and the chair of the board broke down beyond repair, creating an untenable situation.”
Their departures followed a fallout between Sentebale’s board of trustees and chairwoman Dr. Sophie Chandauka, who sued the trustees after they asked her to step down. A source close to the charity claimed to PEOPLE that Dr. Chandauka placed the organization under what has been characterized as financial strain.
Dr. Chandauka alleged that she was asked to step down after she “dared to blow the whistle about issues of poor governance, weak executive management, abuse of power, bullying, harassment, misogyny, misogynoir.”
The Charity Commission for England and Wales started investigating Sentebale in April 2025 and concluded four months later that it found no evidence of “widespread or systemic bullying, harassment, misogyny or misogynoir.” The Commission also found no “overreach” by Prince Harry or Dr. Chandauka.
Sentebale’s former trustees said in a statement that they were “disheartened” by the findings and “gravely concerned for the future of the charity.” The current board accepted the Commission’s recommendations to improve how it handles internal disputes and defines organizational roles.
So, why did Prince Harry quit his charity? Here’s everything to know about the bullying allegations behind his abrupt exit.
What is Sentebale?
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Prince Harry at the opening of Sentebale’s Mamohato Children’s Centre on November 26, 2015 in Maseru, Lesotho.
Sentebale is a charity that Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso co-founded in 2006. In the almost two decades that the nonprofit has been active, it has covered “healthcare, critical life skills, education, advocacy, vocational training, and climate resilience” for children and young people (including those with HIV/AIDS) living in the Southern African countries of Lesotho and Botswana.
According to the organization’s website, Sentebale means “forget-me-not” in Sesotho. Both princes set up the charity in memory of their late mothers. Prince Harry believed the nonprofit was a continuation of Princess Diana’s efforts to help those with AIDS.
Who runs Sentebale?
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Dr. Sophie Chandauka attends the Sentebale’s Potential is Waiting panel discussion on April 11, 2024 in Miami Beach, Florida.
Dr. Chandauka has served as the chair of Sentebale since July 2023. She previously served on the nonprofit’s board from 2009 to 2015. A source claimed to PEOPLE that Dr. Chandauka financially strained the organization after taking over as chairwoman — starting with the collapse of the Sentebale Polo Cup.
The event, which is a major fundraiser for the nonprofit, allegedly did not take place in 2024 due to a rift between the chair and a major funder. Dr. Chandauka also allegedly spent over $600,000 on external consultants without the board’s approval.
Following another fundraising loss, the board formally requested the chairwoman’s resignation in February 2025. But she allegedly refused and filed a legal challenge to block their voting process. The board then resigned.
Former trustees Timothy Boucher, Mark Dyer, Audrey Kgosidintsi, Dr. Kelello Lerotholi and Damian West said in a statement that they had lost “trust and confidence” in their chair and felt they had no choice but to resign to protect Sentebale from the costly burden of a lawsuit.
A representative for Dr. Chandauka denied the allegations and said that “legal action was taken because of the cover-up of issues relating to abuse of power, misconduct, mismanagement, bullying, harassment, misogyny and misogynoir amongst other concerns.”
Why did Prince Harry quit Sentebale?
Alamy
The Duchess of Sussex presents the trophy to her husband, the Duke of Sussex after his team the Royal Salute Sentebale Team defeated the Grand Champions Team, in the Royal Salute Polo Challenge, to benefit Sentebale, at The USPA National Polo Center in Wellington, Florida,
In a joint March 2025 statement with Sentebale co-founder Prince Seeiso, Prince Harry announced that he had made the “devastating” decision to step down as a charity patron to back the board of trustees who resigned after Dr. Chandauka refused to step down as chair.
“These trustees acted in the best interest of the charity in asking the chair to step down, while keeping the wellbeing of staff in mind,” the statement read. “In turn, she sued the charity to remain in this voluntary position, further underscoring the broken relationship.”
They continued, “What’s transpired is unthinkable. We are in shock that we have to do this, but we have a continued responsibility to Sentebale’s beneficiaries, so we will be sharing all of our concerns with the Charity Commission as to how this came about.”
What was Prince Harry accused of?
Brian Otieno/Getty
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Ntoli Moletsane at a special Sentebale event to visit the Pointmain Health Facility on October 2, 2024 in Leribe, Lesotho.
Dr. Chandauka claimed that her fallout with Prince Harry began when she refused to publicly defend his wife, Meghan Markle. During a photo op at the Royal Salute Polo Challenge in April 2024, footage went viral of the Duchess of Sussex motioning Dr. Chandauka to stand beside her rather than Prince Harry.
The Sentebale chairwoman had to awkwardly duck under a trophy to switch positions, a move that sparked rumors of alleged tension between her and Markle. Dr. Chandauka later told the Financial Times that the Duke of Sussex had urged her to publicly address the incident. But she refused.
“I said no, we’re not setting a precedent by which we become an extension of the Sussex PR machine,” she said in the March 2025 interview.
Dr. Chandauka also told Sky News in March 2025 that Prince Harry didn’t inform her or other higher-ups within the Sentebale organization that he would make a public announcement of his departure.
She called the move an example of “harassment and bullying at scale.” Representatives for Prince Harry declined to comment on Dr. Chandauka’s allegations.
What has Prince Harry said about the Sentebale investigation findings?
Brian Otieno/Getty
Prince Seeiso of Lesotho and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex at Sentebale’s Mamohato Children’s Centre on October 1, 2024 in Maseru, Lesotho.
In August 2025, the Commission concluded its investigation and announced that it had found no evidence of Dr. Chandauka’s allegations or any “overreach” by her or Prince Harry. It did, however, criticize all parties for allowing the internal dispute “to play out publicly.”
“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 official announcement read. “It finds that this confusion exacerbated tensions, which culminated in a dispute and multiple resignations of trustees and both founding patrons.”
Sentebale noted, however, that “the Commission has not investigated any individual allegations and therefore has not made any findings in relation to individuals, including Prince Harry. The issues not investigated by the Commission can and may be dealt with through avenues more appropriate than the Commission.”
A spokesperson for Prince Harry said in a statement that while they found the Commission’s findings unsurprising, the report “falls troublingly short” in regards to Dr. Chandauka’s alleged actions.
“Both Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso are devastated by what has effectively been a hostile takeover by Sophie Chandauka,” the source close to the former trustees and patrons told PEOPLE in August 2025. “This was Prince Seeiso and Prince Harry’s life work.”
The source continued, “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: a multi-million pound charity that delivered nothing but good for the beneficiary community that is supported in Lesotho and Botswana.”
Dr. Chandauka said in a statement, “I appreciate the Charity Commission for its conclusions which confirm the governance concerns I raised privately in February 2025 … 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 behaviours displayed in private.”
She continued, “Despite the recent turbulence, we will always be inspired by the vision of our Founders, Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso, who established Sentebale in memory of their precious mothers, Princess Diana and Queen ‘Mamohato.”
Read the original article on People
