Prince Harry ‘in shock’ as he resigns from charity he founded in Princess Diana’s memory amid infighting

LESOTHO, SOUTH AFRICA: Prince Harry has stepped down from Sentebale, the charity he co-founded nearly two decades ago in memory of Princess Diana, following what he describes as an "unthinkable" internal conflict.

The resignation marks a major turning point for the organization, which was founded in 2006 with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho to support African orphans affected by poverty and HIV/AIDS, Daily Mail reported.

Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso react to Sentebale crisis

Sentebale has been in turmoil following a dramatic fallout between its board of trustees and the charity’s chair, Zimbabwe-born lawyer Sophie Chandauka.

The disagreement arose after the charity made a strategic decision to relocate its fundraising efforts to Africa.

Many of the trustees opposed this shift and called for Chandauka to resign, a request she refused, leading her to take legal action against the organization.

In a joint statement, Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso expressed their shock over the situation.

They conveyed, “What's transpired is unthinkable. We are in shock that we have to do this.”

"Nearly 20 years ago, we founded Sentebale in honour 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," they continued.

The two founders emphasized that stepping down was not a decision taken lightly but one made in solidarity with the board of trustees, who also resigned en masse.

“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. 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," they said.

Trustees resign en masse amid leadership rift

The trustees, including key figures such as Mark Dyer, a lifelong friend of Prince Harry and his son, Archie's godparent, cited a breakdown of trust with Sophie Chandauka as their primary reason for resigning.

In a collective statement, they voiced their disappointment, expressing that they are "deeply proud to have supported the visionary work of the founding patrons Prince Seeiso and Prince Harry".

They also stated, "Today's decision is nothing short of devastating for all of us, but we see no other path forward as the result of our loss in trust and confidence in the chair of the board.”

"Our priority has always been, and will always be, what's in the best interest of the charity, and it's desperately sad the breakdown in relationship escalated to a lawsuit by the chair against the charity, to block us from voting her out after our request for her resignation was rejected."

They further explained that they could not allow Sentebale to bear the financial and legal burden of Chandauka’s lawsuit, stating, “We could not in good conscience allow Sentebale to undertake that legal and financial burden and have been left with no other option but to vacate our positions.”

"This was not a choice willingly made, but rather something we felt forced into in order to look after the charity," they added.

Chandauka’s refusal to step down forced the resignations of multiple senior figures, including former chief executive Richard Miller, director Baroness Chalker, and advertising mogul Johnny Hornby.

Andrew Tucker, affectionately known as ‘Tucks’ by Prince Harry, also departed after nearly a decade.

Sentebale’s response in wake of leadership shake-up

Sentebale has acknowledged the restructuring of its leadership, stating that the charity is undergoing a transformation to refocus on youth health, wealth, and climate resilience in Southern Africa.

A spokesperson for the charity commented, noting, “We are pleased to confirm the restructuring of our Board on 25 March 2025 to introduce experts with the capabilities and networks to accelerate Sentebale’s transformation agenda as announced last year.”

The charity emphasized that its shift in strategy was planned and included moving key leadership roles to Southern Africa to align with its mission.

In a striking rebuttal, Chandauka accused her critics of misconduct and attempted to expose what she described as a culture of abuse within Sentebale.

She alleged that the organization suffered from “weak executive management, abuse of power, bullying, harassment, misogyny, and misogynoir.”

Defending her decision to stay on as chair, she stated, “For me, this is not a vanity project from which I can resign when I am called to account. I am an African who has had the privilege of a world-class education and career. I will not be intimidated. I must stand for something. I stand for those other women who do not have the ways and means.”

"I chose to join Sentebale first and foremost as a proud African who understands that, in the spirit of ubuntu: to whom much is given, much is expected," said Chandauka.

"Everything I do at Sentebale is in pursuit of the integrity of the organisation, its mission, and the young people we serve. My actions are guided by the principles of fairness and equitable treatment for all, regardless of social status or financial means," she added.

"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," she claimed.

Chandauka further questioned why the UK’s High Court agreed to hear her lawsuit if it had no merit, adding, “Discerning readers will ask themselves: why would the Chair of the Board report her own Trustees to the Charity Commission? Why would the High Court of England and Wales accept her application to hear the matter at all if the case had no merit?”

"Well, because beneath all the victim narrative and fiction that has been syndicated to press is the story of a woman who dared to blow the whistle," she asserted.

"I have one job. I must focus on fundraising for the very important work of the young people who inspire the incredible team at Sentebale who make sacrifices daily at a time when geopolitics is severely impacting funding for development work in Africa," she continued.

Chandauka reiterated her commitment to Sentebale’s mission, stating, “I am indebted to those who have stood by me and picked up my urgent call for help so that we can continue the mission at Sentebale. I will continue to faithfully perform my role as Chair of the Board, and I look forward to the opportunity to work with others who are interested in issues of health, wealth and climate resilience for young people in Africa.”