Prince Harry has expressed deep sorrow over his decision to step back from his role at Sentebale, the charity he co-founded with his friend, Prince Seeiso of Lesotho.
Established in 2006, Sentebale was the Duke of Sussex’s first-ever patronage, created to support children orphaned by AIDS in Lesotho.
Inspired by his gap year experience in the country in 2004, Harry once vowed never to walk away from the organization, which was founded in honor of his late mother, Princess Diana.
So why has Harry resigned from the charity he has been devoted to for nearly two decades?
The decision stems from an irreparable breakdown in relations between Sentebale’s trustees and the chair of its board. In a joint statement, Harry and Prince Seeiso expressed their disappointment, saying: “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.
“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.”
According to The Times, the dispute revolves around a loss of trust and confidence in the chairwoman, Dr. Sophie Chandauka. Appointed last year, the Zimbabwe-born corporate finance lawyer allegedly faced opposition from trustees who questioned her suitability for the role. She reportedly responded by taking legal action against the charity.
Backing the departing trustees, Harry and Seeiso further stated: “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. In turn, she sued the charity to remain in this voluntary position, further underscoring the broken relationship. 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.”
Several former trustees, including Timothy Boucher, Mark Dyer, Audrey Kgosidintsi, Dr. Kelello Lerotholi, and Damian West, also released a statement calling their resignation “devastating” but “the result of our loss in trust and confidence in the chair of the board.”
Dr. Chandauka, in response, claimed she had reported the trustees to the UK Charity Commission and had “blown the whistle” on allegations of abuse of power, bullying, sexism, and racism.
Royal Editor Emily Nash reflected on the impact of this split on Prince Harry, saying: “This will be a devastating moment for Prince Harry nearly 20 years after he founded Sentebale in memory of his mother.
“I’ve seen the work of the charity on the ground in Lesotho, and it is incredibly inspiring, making a real difference to the lives of young people there. But I think it also made a huge difference to his life in return, giving him a focus at a time when he was navigating early adulthood in the public eye.”
