Prince Harry ‘in shock’ after resigning from charity founded in Diana’s honour – National

Prince Harry said he was “in shock” after resigning as a patron of Sentebale, an African charity he co-founded nearly 20 years ago to help young people with HIV and AIDS in Lesotho and Botswana.

The Duke of Sussex said the reason for his resignation was due to conflict between members of the board and Sophie Chandauka, the chair of the board who refused to step down and sued the charity in order to retain her position, according to The Times.

Prince Harry co-founded Sentebale in memory of his late mother, Princess Diana, with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho in 2006 after he spent time working at an orphanage in Lesotho during a gap year.

Prince Seeiso and the board of trustees have also joined Harry in leaving Sentebale following the breakdown of the relationship between board members and Chandauka.

In a joint statement, the princes said, “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.”

“Nearly 20 years ago, we founded Sentebale in honor of our mothers. Sentebale means ‘forget-me-not’ in Sesotho, the local language of Lesotho, and it’s what we’ve always promised for the young people we’ve served through this charity. Today is no different.”

“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,” they continued. “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.”

“These trustees acted in the best interest of the charity in asking the chair to step down while keeping the well-being of staff in mind. In turn, she sued the charity to remain in this voluntary position, further underscoring the broken relationship,” the princes’ statement continued.

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Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso thanked the trustees for their “service over the years” and said they are “truly heartbroken they’ve had to follow through with this act.”

“Although we may no longer be patrons, we will always be its founders, and we will never forget what this charity is capable of achieving when it is in the right care,” they concluded.

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Chandauka said she had reported Sentebale’s trustees to the Charity Commission, a government department in the U.K. that regulates philanthropic organizations, and had filed papers in a British court to prevent her removal.

In a statement, she made allegations of misconduct at the charity without naming anyone.

“There are people in this world who behave as though they are above the law and mistreat people, and then play the victim card and use the very press they disdain to harm people who have the courage to challenge their conduct,” Chandauka said.

This, she said, was the “story of a woman who dared to blow the whistle about issues of poor governance, weak executive management, abuse of power, bullying, harassment, misogyny and misogynoir — and the cover-up that ensued.”

BBC reported that the Charity Commission said it was “aware of concerns about the governance” of Sentebale, which is registered in the U.K.

“We are assessing the issues to determine the appropriate regulatory steps,” they added.

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After Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso announced their resignation, Sentebale shared a statement on social media to let their followers know that “the work continues because they deserve nothing less.”

“It’s the incredible teams on the ground — our staff and local partners — who bring our mission to life every day, walking alongside the children and young people we serve,” the statement began.

“While Trustees are key for governance and regulation, and Patrons — especially Founders — are an honour to have, it’s the people in the field who are advancing the work, no matter what,” the statement continued. “Our commitment to supporting youth in Southern Africa with better health, stronger livelihoods, and climate resilience remains as strong as ever.”

Prince Harry last visited Sentebale in Lesotho in October 2024, when he spent time talking with young people and others connected to the charity around a campfire.

“You might not always realize how significant your influence is, but if it changes even one person’s life, it’s worth it,” he told them at the event.

The Duke of Sussex publicly stepped back from the Royal Family in January 2020 and delivered a speech to address the decision at a charity dinner for Sentebale.

“Thank you for being here for Sentebale, a charity me and Prince Seeiso created back in 2006 to honour my mother’s legacy in supporting those effected by HIV and AIDS,” he began.

He said he first visited Lesotho in 2004 and was “shown around by my dear friend Prince Seeiso.”

“Struck by the hardship and challenges so many children faced, and with the support of local partners, we set up Sentebale two years later,” Prince Harry said.

“Since the beginning, we’ve developed a series of programs and created the purpose-built Mamahato centre to help a generation of children break through the stigma that is allowing the HIV epidemic to thrive. Half of those children had lost either one or both of their parents to the virus.”

He added that the clubs, camps and programs across Lesotho and Botswana “help children and young adults to learn that they can go on to live happy and productive lives, despite being HIV positive.”

— With files from The Associated Press

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