Prince Harry ‘deeply depressed,' 'embarrassed' about charity war: Sources

Yahoo

04-04-2025

(NewsNation) — While Meghan Markle is basking in her recent success, her husband, Prince Harry, is having a rough time.
Sources tell me that Harry is 'deeply depressed and embarrassed' by the Sentebale charity scandal he is enmeshed in and devastated that the charity he founded has been 'ripped away' from him.
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'He loves his charities — this is what he wants to spend his life doing and now, one of them is gone … and in the most horrible way,' a source said.
Harry is head of Invictus Games — a charity he started in 2014 for wounded warriors — and Archewell, the foundation he started with his wife, Meghan Markle. And up until last week, he was the patron of Sentebale, the organization he started decades ago with his friend Prince Seeiso of Lesotho to help fight AIDS but which now 'empowers' young people.
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Both Harry and Prince Seeiso left Sentebale in sympathy and support for the board, which had resigned due to friction with the Zimbabwean chairwoman, Sophie Chandauka.
The aftermath of the resignations has been brutal.
Chandauka, who has been chairwoman of Sentebale since June 2023, claims Prince Harry bullied and harassed her after Harry's wife created an awkward moment during a 2024 polo event.
On March 31, The Telegraph reported that Prince Harry, 40, allegedly sent Chandauka an 'unpleasant' and 'imperious' message after she declined to defend his wife, Meghan Markle, whom Chandauka claims showed up unannounced and caused an awkward and embarrassing scene during the trophy presentation.
Chandauka is also said to be furious that 'someone' let it slip to the London Times that she spent over $600,000 on consultants — a lot of money that others feel could have gone to the charity's causes instead. The charity, which had been in good financial health previously, is now said to be ailing (something Chandauka denies).
Harry has hit back — allowing his Eton classmate and close friend Alex Raynor to speak to the Daily Mail on his behalf.
Raynor told the Daily Mail: 'The way he feels (after leaving Sentebale) is as if he has had one of his fingers cut off.'
Rayner also said Chandauka was jealous of Meghan Markle being present at the 2024 prize-giving event, saying: 'It feels like [Chandauka] had her nose put out of joint because she was not the most important woman of color on the stage.'
'H is very happy for me to speak for him about how he feels about this awful situation,' adding the Prince is 'heartbroken and flabbergasted' that the charity he established as a teenager 'has been taken hostage by the chair.'
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'He is so upset and hurt and wounded about the things that are being said about him,' Rayner continued. 'I think it's too early to tell whether he will just walk away now or whether he might try and get it back.
'The way he feels is as if he has had one of his fingers cut off. He set up Sentebale with a school friend when the death of his mum was a fresh memory… At the moment, he is just in total shock about what is being said and the accusations being made.'
In his joint statement with Prince Seeiso, Prince Harry said:
'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… These trustees acted in the best interest of the charity in asking the chair to step down while keeping the well-being of staff in mind. In turn, she sued the charity to remain in this voluntary position, further underscoring the broken relationship.'
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Adding to Harry's depression is his father King Charles' illness. Harry was said to be devastated when the King was so unwell due to cancer treatments he canceled public engagements last week. The Daily Mail reported Harry 'doesn't leave the (Montecito) house anymore.'
A rep for Harry declined to comment on 'conjecture.'
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