Prince Harry 'Devastated' as Charity Probe Concludes: 'Damaging Dispute'

Newsweek

a day ago

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Prince Harry took aim at a charity watchdog that cleared him of bullying following a "damaging dispute" after a rival was allowed to continue on as chair.
Harry and a number of trustees in March dramatically quit Sentebale, a charity that helps children with HIV and AIDS in southern Africa that the prince cofounded with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho.
The move was heartbreaking for the prince because it was set up partly in memory of Princess Diana and was, according to a source who spoke to Newsweek, "his life's work."
However, there had been a major rift with Sophie Chandauka, Sentebale's chair, who had been asked by the trustees to step down, and the argument was set to explode into public consciousness after Chandauka sued the charity in March.
Prince Harry, center, poses with Sentebale charity chair Sophie Chandauka, right, at The Saxon Hotel in Johannesburg, South Africa, on October 3, 2024, months before their "damaging dispute" exploded into public consciousness. Hector Mujica, head...
Prince Harry, center, poses with Sentebale charity chair Sophie Chandauka, right, at The Saxon Hotel in Johannesburg, South Africa, on October 3, 2024, months before their "damaging dispute" exploded into public consciousness. Hector Mujica, head of economic opportunity at Google.org, is pictured on the left. Morefor Sentebale
The Charity Commission launched a regulatory compliance case, examining the allegations and counter-allegations on both sides.
Now the regulator has dismissed some major criticisms made by Chandauka, including of bullying and "misogynoir," or racism targeting Black women.
But the watchdog did have criticisms for both sides over the "damaging dispute" that played out in public and imposed on the charity what it described as "a Regulatory Action Plan to address governance weaknesses."
Prince Harry responded to the ruling by taking a swipe at the Charity Commission's report, with a spokesperson saying it "falls troublingly short in many regards," while Chandauka pointed to Sentebale's optimistic future.
In essence, now that the dust has settled, Harry has swerved the most damaging allegations against him but must still face the reality he has lost control of one of his most personal projects, built to keep alive his mother's legacy as an advocate for HIV and AIDS patients.
A source told Newsweek: "Prince Seeiso and Prince Harry are absolutely devastated by what Sophie has effectively done, which is a hostile takeover of this charity.
"It's a charity that Seeiso and Harry set up 19 years ago and certainly in Harry's adult lifetime it's been his life's work."
What the Charity Commission Says
At the conclusion of its case, the commission found no evidence of "widespread or systemic bullying or harassment, including misogyny or misogynoir at the charity."
That is a blow for Chandauka, who accused Harry of "harassment and bullying at scale" in a Sky News interview in March.
And she said in an earlier statement that month: "Beneath all the victim narrative and fiction that has been syndicated to press 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 cover-up that ensued."
The commission did say though, that it "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."
There was also no evidence of "'over-reach' by either the chair or the Duke of Sussex as patron."
The commission criticized the charity on some technical points, including a lack of clarity about the delegation of roles to the chair and processes for managing complaints—not to mention the high-profile public nature of the argument between the two sides.
David Holdsworth, chief executive of the Charity Commission, said: "Passion for a cause is the bedrock of volunteering and charity, delivering positive impact for millions of people here at home and abroad every day.
"However, in the rare cases when things go wrong, it is often because that very passion has become a weakness rather than a strength.
"Sentebale's problems played out in the public eye, enabling a damaging dispute to harm the charity's reputation, risk overshadowing its many achievements, and jeopardising the charity's ability to deliver for the very beneficiaries it was created to serve."
Prince Harry Spokesperson's Statement in Full
A spokesperson for Prince Harry said in a statement to Newsweek: "The Charity Commission has today announced its findings.
"Unsurprisingly, the Commission makes no findings of wrongdoing in relation to Sentebale's Co-Founder and former Patron, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex. They also found no evidence of widespread bullying, harassment or misogyny and misogynoir at the charity, as falsely claimed by the current Chair.
"Despite all that, their report falls troublingly short in many regards, primarily the fact that the consequences of the current Chair's actions will not be borne by her—but by the children who rely on Sentebale's support.
"Sentebale has been a deeply personal and transformative mission for Prince Harry, established to serve some of the most vulnerable children in Lesotho and Botswana.
"For 19 years, its dedicated staff and steadfast supporters have provided vital care to over 100,000 young people across southern Africa, including young people living with HIV/AIDS and those facing mental health challenges.
"As custodians of this once brilliant charity, Prince Seeiso [of Lesotho], Prince Harry and the former Board of Trustees helped grow Sentebale from the seed of an idea to—like its namesake—a flowering force for good.
"With the original mission of Sentebale firmly in mind—and in honour of the legacy he and Prince Seeiso began—The Duke of Sussex will now focus on finding new ways to continue supporting the children of Lesotho and Botswana."
What Sentebale Said After Charity Commission Findings
Chandauka said in a statement released to Newsweek: "I appreciate the Charity Commission for its conclusions which confirm the governance concerns I raised privately in February 2025.
"The experience was intense, and it became a test of our strategic clarity and operational resilience."
"The unexpected adverse media campaign that was launched by those who resigned on 24 March 2025 has caused incalculable damage and offers a glimpse of the unacceptable behaviours displayed in private," she continued.
"We are emerging not just grateful to have survived, but stronger: more focused, better governed, boldly ambitious and with our dignity intact."
Jack Royston is chief royal correspondent for Newsweek, based in London. You can find him on X, formerly Twitter, at @jack_royston and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.
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