'Has not investigated individual allegations': Prince Harry's dispute with Sentebale charity continues despite watchdog findings
Founded in 2006, Sentebale was created by Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho to help children and adolescents struggling to come to terms with their HIV status, a cause championed by Harry's late mother Princess Diana.
However, Harry, 40, issued a statement in April announcing he'd resigned from the role as the charity's patron "until further notice" amid alleged internal tensions with Sentebale chair Dr Sophie Chandauka.
Dr Chandauka publicly accused the Duke of Sussex of 'harassment and bullying at scale' in a bombshell interview with Sky News UK, claims the ex-working royal has denied.
Dr Chandauka also publicly accused the Sussex camp of 'misogyny and misogynoir (discrimination against black women)' against her and covering up her concerns.
The dispute spilled over into a months-long inquiry by the UK-based Charity Commission to investigate Dr Chandauka's claims.
On Tuesday, the commission "found no evidence of widespread or systemic bullying or harassment, including misogyny or misogynoir at the charity".
However, the commission "criticised all parties to the dispute for allowing it to play out publicly", saying it had "severely impacted the charity's reputation".
While the outcome appeared to signal a win for the Duke of Sussex, a spokesperson for Sentebale pointed out the commission has 'no power to adjudicate' Dr Chandauka's claims.
'It provides Sentebale with some degree of reassurance that the Charity Commission has not identified widespread bullying within the charity, but the Commission has acknowledged the strong perception of ill treatment felt by a number of parties to the dispute and the impact this may have had on them personally,' the charity told SkyNews.com.au in a statement.
'The Charity Commission is explicitly clear, including in its public guidance, that it is not the Commission's responsibility to adjudicate or mediate internal disputes.
'This would include individual allegations of bullying, harassment, misogyny, misogynoir, etc.
'As a result, the Commission has not investigated any individual allegations and therefore has not made any findings in relation to individuals, including Prince Harry.'
It is understood Sentebale has not ruled out pursuing the Duke of Sussex through other avenues over Dr Chandauka's claims.
Meanwhile, an insider close to both Harry and the Prince of Lesotho has claimed the two royals are considering launching a coup to wrestle Sentebale's Lesotho arm back from Dr Chandauka.
"There are a lot of complexities to the governance structure of Sentebale, which means we're not entirely clear as to, for example, whether or not Sentebale in Lesotho is a separate organisation and charity to Sentebale in the UK and it's something that Prince Seeiso is exploring," the insider told Newsweek.
"If Prince Seeiso can find a way to extricate Sentebale in Lesotho from Sophie Chandauka he would do it in a heart beat.'
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If the project is successful, it could be rolled out quickly in clinics across the country. The Mark Hughes Foundation has been funding medical research into brain cancer for 11 years. It's the leading cause of cancer death in Australians under 40 and children under 10. In the Hunter, about 100 to 120 people are diagnosed with brain cancer a year. Across Australia, it's about 2000 people. Only two in 10 of these people will survive five years after diagnosis. Mr Hughes, a two-time premiership winner with the Knights, was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2013. He and wife Kirralee started the foundation in a bid to boost research efforts and survival rates. The couple is known for doing epic adventures in groups to raise money for the foundation. This has included the Kokoda Track, Mount Kilimanjaro, base camp at Mount Everest, Borneo and Tasmania. Last year, the foundation gave $1 million for a new project with Carrie Bickmore's brain cancer mission in Melbourne. 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The Mark Hughes Foundation Centre for Brain Cancer Research will partner with industry and researchers in Queensland to develop "new highly-targeted drugs". The drugs will be "delivered directly to the site of the brain tumour via theranostics". This treatment, which can be used for a range of cancers, involves a PET scanner looking for specific targets on tumour cells. If the targets are present, a radioactive form of the drug is given as an injection. The drug targets the tumour cells while "avoiding healthy areas". Mark Hughes Foundation centre director Mike Fay said "we know radiation works for brain tumours, we just need to make it work better". "Patients want us to be brave and develop and trial new treatments," said Professor Fay, a radiation oncologist. He said the Newcastle-based research centre was "uniquely placed to do novel drug development" and trials in "a small number of patients". Effective drugs could be scaled up "in partnership with pharmaceutical companies". Professor Fay sees patients in the clinic every week who "want and deserve better treatments for brain cancer". If the project is successful, it could be rolled out quickly in clinics across the country. The Mark Hughes Foundation has been funding medical research into brain cancer for 11 years. It's the leading cause of cancer death in Australians under 40 and children under 10. In the Hunter, about 100 to 120 people are diagnosed with brain cancer a year. Across Australia, it's about 2000 people. Only two in 10 of these people will survive five years after diagnosis. Mr Hughes, a two-time premiership winner with the Knights, was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2013. He and wife Kirralee started the foundation in a bid to boost research efforts and survival rates. The couple is known for doing epic adventures in groups to raise money for the foundation. This has included the Kokoda Track, Mount Kilimanjaro, base camp at Mount Everest, Borneo and Tasmania. Last year, the foundation gave $1 million for a new project with Carrie Bickmore's brain cancer mission in Melbourne. At the time, Mr Hughes said a "one-team mentality" was crucial in the fight against brain cancer. His experience in sport inspired his approach to tackling brain cancer. "Playing team sport - you get injured, you get up, go to the physio and get yourself ready to go again next week," he said last year. "I think I've got a bit of that mentality in me. When I got injured, I would get it fixed and tackle life from there."
West Australian
2 days ago
- West Australian
Prince Harry Sentebale fallout: Duke of Sussex to launch new African charity despite scandal
The Duke of Sussex is considering starting a new humanitarian charity after a highly publicised dispute saw him leave his Sentebale charity, a spokesperson has said. Harry stepped down as patron of the charity in March in support of trustees who resigned in opposition to board chairwoman Dr Sophie Chandauka, who previously levelled accusations of bullying and harassment against the royal. The charity works in Botswana and Lesotho supporting the health and wellbeing of young people, especially those with HIV and Aids. Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, who co-founded Sentebale alongside the duke in honour of Diana, Princess of Wales, in 2006 also stepped down as patron. The Charity Commission published a report into the episode on Tuesday, criticising all sides for making the fallout public with interviews and statements, but the war of words has continued. A source said earlier this week that the row had been 'emotionally absolutely devastating' for Harry, and described Dr Chandauka's comments as 'nothing short of a hostile takeover'. On Sunday, a spokesperson for the duke said: 'The duke remains absolutely committed to continuing the work he started, supporting the children and young people of Lesotho and Botswana, nearly 20 years ago. 'In what form that support takes - no decisions have been made. 'All options remain on the table; whether that be starting a new charity or working to support pre-existing charities operating in the same sector in the region.' The charity regulator, which cannot investigate individual allegations of bullying, said it found no evidence of systemic bullying or harassment, including misogyny or misogynoir at the charity but acknowledged 'the strong perception of ill treatment' felt by some involved. The trustees who resigned said in a statement they were 'gravely concerned for the future of the charity' as they felt the commission had 'chosen to ignore key concerns and irrefutable evidence raised with them regarding the leadership and oversight of Sentebale's chair'. In response to the findings, Sentebale said in a statement: 'The Charity Commission is explicitly clear, including in its public guidance, that it is not the commission's responsibility to adjudicate or mediate internal disputes. This would include individual allegations of bullying, harassment, misogyny, misogynoir etc. 'As a result, the commission has not investigated any individual allegations and therefore has not made any findings in relation to individuals, including Prince Harry. 'The issues not investigated by the commission can and may be dealt with through avenues more appropriate than the commission.'
