Prince Harry quits Sentebale amid damning report into charity boardroom row

Prince Harry has officially stepped down from his African youth charity, Sentebale, following a scathing report by the UK Charity Commission that detailed governance failures and an explosive internal dispute, but dismissed claims of systemic racism or bullying.

The Duke of Sussex, who co-founded the charity in 2006 with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho in memory of Princess Diana, walked away from his patron role earlier this year after an acrimonious public fallout with Sentebale’s chair, Dr Sophie Chandauka.

Accoridng to a UK paper, Harry confirmed on Tuesday night that he had no intention of returning, stating he would now focus on “new ways” to support vulnerable children in Southern Africa.

The Charity Commission’s investigation, launched after Dr Chandauka made allegations of "misogyny, misogynoir" (misogyny against Black women), bullying, and governance lapses, found no evidence of systemic misconduct, but slammed both Harry and the trustees for failing to resolve their issues internally.

The regulator stated that the bitter dispute had severely impacted the charity’s reputation and risked undermining public trust in charities more generally. A regulatory action plan has now been issued to overhaul the charity’s governance.

Harry had initially resigned in March, describing the situation as “devastating” and blaming the “untenable” leadership of Dr Chandauka. However, the Charity Commission also criticised the role of the trustees and highlighted poor communication, lack of clarity around roles, and mishandling of internal complaints.

A spokesperson for Harry said it was “unsurprising” that no personal wrongdoing was found, but also took aim at the Commission, saying the report fell “troublingly short” in key areas.

Dr Chandauka, meanwhile, claimed she had privately raised concerns with the Commission before resignations occurred, and insisted that the backlash she faced, including what she described as an \extraordinary and imperious' text from Prince Harry, showcased deeper problems within the charity’s leadership culture.

The row reached a peak in 2024 after a polo fundraising event where Meghan Markle reportedly appeared with a Netflix crew, drawing unwanted media attention. Dr Chandauka alleged she was asked to publicly defend Meghan, which she refused, citing the need to keep Sentebale independent from the Sussex brand.

While the Commission refrained from adjudicating individual bullying claims, it concluded that the toxic fallout had weakened Sentebale’s governance and caused unnecessary harm to its mission.

Sentebale has now appointed new trustees and pledged to move forward with strengthened governance, focused on its core mission of helping children and youth in Lesotho and Botswana.