Prince Harry has stepped down as a patron of Sentebale, a charity he co-founded in Lesotho, following a governance dispute that led to the resignation of its trustees.
Alongside his co-founder, Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, Harry announced his departure after tensions escalated between Sentebale’s board of trustees and its chair, Dr. Sophie Chandauka. Dr. Chandauka, who was asked to step down, sued the charity and reported it to the UK Charity Commission, citing concerns about governance, harassment, and abuse of power.
In a joint statement, the princes expressed their disappointment, emphasizing their solidarity with the board, which had acted in the charity’s best interests. The former trustees also stated that they had lost trust in the chair and resigned to protect the organization from legal and financial strain.
Dr. Chandauka, however, defended her actions as a stand for fairness and against misconduct, calling out poor governance and systemic issues. Meanwhile, Sentebale has denied receiving formal resignations from its royal patrons and emphasized that its board restructuring aligns with its transformation agenda.
The UK Charity Commission is currently assessing concerns regarding the organization’s governance.
