Infighting Leads to Shocking Exit from Sentebale
Prince Harry has stepped down from Sentebale, the African charity he co-founded two decades ago, following a bitter internal dispute. The Duke of Sussex expressed his deep disappointment, stating he is “in shock” and “truly heartbroken” over the turn of events.
His co-founder, Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, also resigned as a patron on Tuesday after several trustees left the organization due to a disagreement with board chair Dr. Sophie Chandauka, a lawyer appointed in 2023.
Sentebale’s Leadership Rift and Resignations
Founded in 2006 in memory of Princess Diana, Sentebale supports vulnerable communities in Lesotho and Botswana, particularly those affected by poverty and HIV/AIDS. However, a major rift emerged within the organization over a proposal to focus fundraising efforts in Africa. This disagreement ultimately led to mass resignations.
In a joint statement, Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso defended the trustees who resigned, saying, “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.” They accused Chandauka of taking legal action to retain her position, calling the situation “unthinkable.”
DON’T MISS THIS: Enugu Tech Festival to Drive Innovation and Investment
Former Trustees Speak Out
The trustees who resigned—Timothy Boucher, Mark Dyer, Audrey Kgosidintsi, Kelello Lerotholi, and Damian West—described their decision as “devastating” but necessary. In their statement, they emphasized that they had “lost trust and confidence” in Chandauka’s leadership.
Despite Harry and Seeiso’s resignation, a Sentebale spokesperson clarified that no official resignation letters had been received from the two royal patrons. The charity also announced a board restructuring to introduce new leadership.
Chandauka Responds to Allegations
Dr. Chandauka hit back at her critics, insisting that her actions were aimed at maintaining Sentebale’s integrity and mission. She accused certain individuals of using media influence to distort the truth, saying, “There are people in this world who behave as though they are above the law and mistreat people, and then play the victim card.”
She also pointed out that the High Court of England and Wales had agreed to hear her case, questioning why it would do so if her claims lacked merit. She alleged that the charity had deeper issues, citing “poor governance, weak executive management, abuse of power, bullying, harassment, misogyny, misogynoir – and the cover-up that ensued.”
Charity Commission Investigates
The UK Charity Commission confirmed that it was aware of governance concerns at Sentebale and is currently assessing the situation to determine its next steps.
The ongoing conflict has cast uncertainty over the future of Sentebale, an organization that has played a crucial role in supporting vulnerable communities in Africa for nearly two decades.
Armenian Dram
Ghana Cedi
Gambian Dalasi
Guinea Franc
Nigerian Naira
CFA Franc BEAC
