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Harry vows ‘the truth will be unveiled’ as investigation launched into charity after boss accused him of ‘bullying’
Harry founded the charity in 2006 in memory of Princess Diana
PRINCE Harry has vowed the truth will be "unveiled" after an official probe into his charity was launched.
Sentebale’s chairwoman Dr Sophie Chandauka last week accused Harry of “harassment and bullying at scale” after he backed resigning trustees and quit as a patron.
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Today the Charity Commission confirmed it had opened a regulatory compliance case over "concerns raised".
The royal founded the organisation in honour of his mother Diana, Princess of Wales in 2006 with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho to help young people and children in southern Africa, particularly those living with HIV and Aids.
Last week it emerged that several trustees had left the charity in a dispute with its chairwoman, Sophie Chandauka, having requested her resignation.
Harry and Prince Seeiso backed the departing trustees and announced they had resigned as patrons until further notice.
They said their resignations came "with heavy hearts", adding that it was "devastating that the relationship between the charity's trustees and the chair of the board broke down beyond repair, creating an untenable situation".
The Duke of Sussex said the fallout of his resignation as patron of Sentebale has been “heartbreaking to witness” and that he hoped the Charity Commission would “unveil the truth that collectively forced us to resign”.
Prince Harry's full statement on watchdog probe
Prince Harry said in a statement: "From the inception of Sentebale nearly 20 years ago, Prince Seeiso and I have had a clear goal: to support the children and young people in Southern Africa in memory of our mothers.
"What has transpired over the last week has been heartbreaking to witness, especially when such blatant lies hurt those who have invested decades in this shared goal.
"No one suffers more than the beneficiaries of Sentebale itself.
"On behalf of the former trustees and patrons, we share in the relief that the Charity Commission confirmed they will be conducting a robust inquiry.
"We fully expect it will unveil the truth that collectively forced us to resign.
"We remain hopeful this will allow for the charity to be put in the right hands immediately, for the sake of the communities we serve."
Ms Chandauka issued a statement in which she alleged there had been "poor governance, weak executive management, abuse of power, bullying, harassment, misogyny, misogynoir".
She also appeared to criticise Harry for going to the press and for what she described as playing "the victim card".
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The commission said it had informed the charity on Wednesday that it had "opened a regulatory compliance case to examine concerns raised about the charity".
This allows the watchdog to "gather evidence and assess the compliance of the charity and trustees past and present with their legal duties" and responsibilities under charity law.
It is not the same as a statutory inquiry.
Prince Harry 'out of his depth' in 'bullying' charity conflict
The commission, which said the decision to open a case came after assessing initial concerns raised, said it is in "direct contact with parties who have raised concerns".
Regulatory compliance cases can lead to a range of outcomes including an official warning being given to a charity or a statutory inquiry being opened, which can give the commission additional powers of investigation.
Dr Chandauka also accused Harry of being "involved" in a "cover-up" regarding an investigation about bullying, harassment and misogyny at the organisation.
Asked on Sky News about reports trustees had lost confidence in her leadership and whether she was "the problem", rather than Harry, Dr Chandauka said: "It was me who was the problem, because I put a whistleblower complaint about the bullying, the harassment and the misogyny, and Prince Harry interfered in the investigation of that.
"And the senior independent director, who should have taken care of it, was the very same person who then delivered the news to me that I was going to be removed by the board.
"So it's a cover-up, and the prince is involved."
'USING RACE CARD'
It comes after a source close to the charity's trustees yesterday accused Ms Chandauka of using the "race card" to win arguments.
They told The Daily Telegraph: "As soon as anyone turns against her, she brings the race card in and she comes for you.
"She's a very poisonous woman and it's very sad it's come to this."
The source also said Dr Chandauka allegedly accused the trustees of bullying when challenged over losing a major sponsor.
The dispute is said to have centred on the annual Sentebale polo cup, which is a key fundraising event for the charity.
What is Sentebale?
Sentebale was set up to support those living in poverty, as well as those suffering from Aids and HIV, in Lesotho.
Prince Harry started the charity in honour of his mum, Princess Diana, who died in 1997.
He met his co-founder Prince Seeiso while on his gap year in 2004.
The word Sentebale means "forget-me-not" in Sesotho, the local language of Lesotho.
Royal biographer Hugo Vickers told The Sun: "The whole situation is obviously very toxic and very difficult."
It's understood at least part of the row was sparked by Ms Chandauka's push for the charity's fundraising to be moved to Africa.
Mr Vickers said she is "using every possible bit of ammunition because she's been pushed out and is obviously very upset".
He went on to say, while not devaluing Dr Chandauka's personal experience of feeling she's been targeted in such a way: "It seems to me that that is one of the cards that people do play when they're in trouble.
"Meghan Markle herself has played this card once or twice rather prominently."
Fellow royal author Ingrid Seward told The Sun earlier this week: "I'm absolutely certain that Harry had no idea this was going to blow up in the way that it has, and it would be the last thing that he wanted.
"He's very, very distressed about the whole thing."
Ms Seward said the royal has a "huge emotional investment" in the charity, with it having been set up in his mum Princess Diana's memory.
"I think he's gained a lot of public sympathy over this, because it's quite difficult to understand who said what and why this has happened. So people just feel sorry for Harry..." she continued.
Read more on the Scottish Sun
"He is the founder of the charity, no one can take that away from him, but I think he's floundering in very deep waters here.
"I don't think that Mrs Chandauka is going to let this go, and I think this will go on and on until there is some kind of resolve... She is saying, 'you can't get rid of me'."
Timeline of events at Sentebale
2004: Prince Harry spends two months in Lesotho in a working visit during his gap year. Here he meets Aids orphans and vulnerable young people.
2006: Inspired by his visit two years prior, he setups up Sentebale with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, taking the name from the Sesotho language for the phrase "forget me not".
2010: The first polo cup is held. Harry has regularly played in the annual tournament, helping to raise more than £11 million since the tournament's creation.
2015: Harry attends the official opening of the charity's flagship Mamohato Children's Centre in Lesotho.
2020: Following the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's decision to step back as senior royals, Harry made his first public speech to Sentebale.
2023: Sophie Chandauka is appointed to the role of chair after Johnny Hornby resigns, following his five years in the position.
2024: Harry visits Lesotho in October for the first time in six years to showcase Sentebale's work.
2025: In March, princes Harry and Seeiso release a joint statement announcing their resignation amid a row between the trustees and Chandauka.
In response, Chandauka slams "weak executive management, abuse of power, bullying, harassment, misogyny, and misogynoir" at the charity.
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