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Prince Harry has shared that he's “devastated” after stepping down from his beloved African charity following reported infighting.
The Duke of Sussex, 40, set up Sentebale alongside his friend Prince Seeiso of Lesotho in 2006 in memory of both of their late mothers. The charity focuses on lifting up young people caught in the HIV/AIDS crisis in Lesotho and further afield in southern Africa.
But now both have stepped down amid claims about the charity’s governance, according to U.K. newspaper The Times. The Charity Commission, based in the U.K., is investigating, per the outlet.
Their departures reportedly stem from a breakdown in relations between chairwoman Dr. Sophie Chandauka and the board of trustees. The trustees — who include Harry’s close friend Mark Dyer, who introduced him to Prince Seeiso and and the country of Lesotho — have also stepped down.
In a joint statement, Harry and Prince Seeiso said, according to The Times, "What’s transpired is unthinkable. We are in shock that we have to do this.”
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Prince Harry (right) with his friend and fellow Sentebale founder Prince Seeiso, in Lesotho, Africa in October 2024
"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," the statement continued.
“With heavy hearts, we have resigned for 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," the statement concluded.
The two princes went on to thank the trustees for their “service over the years” and added they're “truly heartbroken they’ve had to follow through with this act.”
Harry set up Sentebale two years after visiting Lesotho during his gap year after school and before joining the army. He saw it partly as continuing the legacy of his late mother, Princess Diana, who had campaigned to help those with AIDS.
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Prince Harry visiting Matlameng in Lesotho in October 2024
A spokesperson for the Charity Commission, which registers and regulates charities in England and Wales so the public can support charities with confidence, told PEOPLE in a statement, “We can confirm that we are aware of concerns about the governance of Sentebale. We are assessing the issues to determine the appropriate regulatory steps.”
Dr. Chandauka said in a statement that she had been “guided by the principles of fairness and equitable treatment for all,” the BBC reported.
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Prince Harry with Dr. Sophie Chandauka (left) in South Africa in October 2024
“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," the statement continued.
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Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso in Masero, Lesotho, in October 2024
Dr. Chandauka added that this is “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, misogynoir – and the coverup that ensued.”
She also went on to say that her work with the charity was "not a vanity project from which I can resign when I am called to account",according to the outlet.
A spokesperson for Sentebale said it could not confirm the resignations of the royal patrons, but added in a statement, per the outlet. “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.”
Harry regularly visits Lesotho and was last there in October. He has also taken part in annual polo matches to raise money for Sentebale. It's thought this has brought in around $10 million over the last 10 years.
