Prince Harry has officially stepped down as the patron of Sentebale, the southern African charity he co-founded nearly two decades ago in honor of his late mother, Princess Diana. The decision follows a bitter leadership dispute that has shaken the organization.
Sentebale, established in 2006 by Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, has been dedicated to supporting young people affected by HIV/AIDS in Lesotho and Botswana. However, tensions within the charity escalated after Sophie Chandauka, appointed as board chair in 2023, reportedly clashed with trustees over governance concerns.
In a joint statement released on Tuesday, Harry and Seeiso announced their resignation, describing the situation as “devastating” and expressing solidarity with trustees who had also stepped down.
“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,” they said.
The dispute has seen multiple trustees resign and call for Chandauka’s removal. However, Chandauka, a Zimbabwe-born lawyer, has accused the board of retaliating against her after she raised concerns about governance, executive mismanagement, and workplace misconduct, including allegations of harassment and bullying.
“For me, this is not a vanity project from which I can resign when I am called to account,” she stated, adding that she had taken legal action and reported the charity to the UK’s Charity Commission.
Sentebale confirmed it was undergoing a strategic shift to expand its focus beyond HIV/AIDS to broader youth development issues, including health, economic empowerment, and climate resilience. However, the organization has yet to formally acknowledge Harry and Seeiso’s resignation.
With the UK Charity Commission now reviewing the governance concerns, the future of Sentebale remains uncertain.
