Latest news with #Dr Sophie Chandauka
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Daily Mail
Prince Harry shuts the door on any return to his charity as damning report into 'war of words' boardroom row rejects racism claim
Prince Harry last night walked away from his African youth charity following a damning report into an explosive race row. A Charity Commission investigation criticised both sides of the acrimonious boardroom battle yet the war of words between the two showed no sign of abating. The probe said it could find 'no evidence' of 'widespread or systemic bullying or harassment, including misogyny or misogynoir' at Sentebale after its new chair, Dr Sophie Chandauka, made a series of incendiary allegations about the behaviour of the Duke of Sussex and his fellow trustees. And it criticised the trustees, including Harry, who resigned en masse in the spring, after the furore blew up in the public domain. Their failure to resolve disputes internally, 'severely impacted the charity's reputation and risked undermining public trust in charities more generally,' the Charity Commission found. In March, Harry resigned as patron of Sentebale, the charity he founded in 2006, going on to say he expected the investigation to 'unveil the truth' while hoping the charity would be 'put in the right hands', suggesting there may have been a path back for him. Sentebale was set up to help orphans with Aids in the impoverished kingdom of Lesotho in memory of his late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales. The name means 'forget me not' in the country's official language. Last night, he made clear he had no intention of returning, with a spokesman saying: 'With the original mission of Sentebale firmly in mind - and in honour of the legacy he and Prince Seeiso [of Lesotho] began - The Duke of Sussex will now focus on finding new ways to continue supporting the children of Lesotho and Botswana.' The watchdog acknowledged the 'strong perception of ill treatment' felt by all parties, including Dr Chandauka, and the impact this may have had on them personally. They ultimately found that a series of failures leading up to, and following, the dispute had led to 'mismanagement in the administration of the charity'. But, despite the Commission urging both sides in the dispute to take a step back from playing out their problems 'in the public eye', it is clear that both sides remain deeply entrenched. In a further escalation of the war of words, a spokesman for the prince said it was 'unsurprising' that the report makes no findings of wrongdoing in relation to himself, or evidence of bullying or racism. The statement also hit out at the Charity Commission itself whose report he claimed fell 'troublingly short in many regards'. In her statement, Dr Chandauka emphasised that it was she who first privately raised concerns about the charity's governance with the Commission in February this year. It was only after she did this, she stressed, that 'those who resigned' in March launched an 'unexpected and adverse media campaign' that had gone on to cause 'incalculable damage' to the charity's work. Tellingly, she added that the campaign subsequently publicly waged against her 'offers a glimpse of the unacceptable behaviours displayed in private'. Talking of the 'intense' and difficult process, she added: 'We are emerging not just grateful to have survived but our dignity intact.' The row first exploded publicly in March when The Times newspaper was briefed about Harry's decision to resign from his role along with his co-founder Prince Seeiso and fellow trustees, many of whom were close personal friends and associates of the royal, amid a row with Dr Chandauka about the governance and future of Sentebale. He said his decision was 'devastating' and 'unthinkable' but described her leadership as 'untenable'. Dr Chandauka hit back, claiming the charity was beset by 'misogynoir' - misogyny against black women - and accusing the duke of 'bullying at scale' because she wanted to base the charity's operations and governance more fully in Africa and look for new sources of revenue other than Harry's favoured polo matches. She said scathingly: '...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. I could be anyone.' She also called the Sussexes' brand 'toxic' and said the prince's ability to attract funding for Sentebale had been detrimentally affected by the way he had quit royal duties. Dr Chandauka also lifted the lid on a peculiar incident at a fundraising polo match in April 2024, when Harry and Meghan turned up with a Netflix camera crew in tow, and the duchess was publicly crucified for apparently wanting to hog the limelight. She alleged that Harry asked her to make a statement in defence of his wife and when she refused, saying it was important that Sentebale wasn't seen as an 'extension of the Sussexes', she claimed she received an 'extraordinary, unpleasant and imperious' text message from the prince which further soured their relationship. Following a lengthy investigation into the complaints from both sides, the Charity Commission said last night that it had issued the charity with a 'Regulatory Action Plan' to address 'governance weaknesses' after a 'damaging internal dispute emerged' between Dr Chandauka, the Duke of Sussex and other trustees. The Commission emphasised that its role had been limited to determining whether the charity's current and former trustees, including its chair, have fulfilled their duties and responsibilities under charity law. It is not its responsibility to adjudicate or mediate internal disputes in charities, it stressed. However the Commission also simultaneously admitted that it cannot investigate individual allegations of bullying. The Commission, it said, had identified a lack of clarity around role descriptions and internal policies as the primary cause for weaknesses in the charity's management. It found that this confusion exacerbated tensions, which culminated in a dispute and multiple resignations of trustees and both founding patrons. The Commission found that delegation of certain powers to the chair was 'confusing and poorly governed', but that trustees also failed to have proper processes and policies in place in investigate internal complaints. Dr Chandauka had claimed the charity was beset by 'misogynoir' - misogyny against black women - and accused the duke of 'bullying at scale' because she wanted to base the charity's operations and governance more fully in Africa It added that the fact the ensuing row played out in the media, including explosive television interviews, were not in the charity's best interests. The Commission also found there was a 'missed opportunity; to resolve the issues, which was contributed to by financial difficulties following the Covid pandemic, which contributed to tensions. It added that more robust policies around the position and remit of patrons needed to be put in place. The Commission added: 'The regulator has criticised all parties to the dispute for allowing it [the dispute] to play out publicly, and further concluded that the then trustees' failure to resolve disputes internally severely impacted the charity's reputation and risked undermining public trust in charities more generally. 'We hope our public statement will draw a line in the sand and that the focus can now be on allowing the charity's work to continue. David Holdsworth, chief executive of the Charity Commission, added: '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. 'This case highlights what can happen when there are gaps in governance and policies critical to charities' ability to deliver for their cause.' Sentebale said it welcomed the announcement and confirmation that the charity has correctly appointed new trustees to take the charity forward. It added that it wished to thank the Charity Commission for the thorough way in which it conducted the review, including 'its responsiveness to the governance concerns that were first privately raised with the Charity Commission in February 2025 through its whistleblowing procedure'. 'With these strong foundations now in place, Sentebale can move forward with confidence - free from interference, committed to continuous improvement, and focused on delivering solutions addressing health, wealth and climate resilience for children and young people in Southern Africa,' it added.
Daily Mail
07-08-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Prince Harry condemns Sentebale charity boss for acting in the 'poorest taste' by referencing Princess Diana after she won control of duke's 'life's work' that royal fears will 'go down in flames'
Prince Harry believes the boss of Sentebale acted in the 'poorest taste' by invoking Princess Diana 's memory after she retained control of the charity he set up to continue his mother's work in Africa, a source close to the royal has claimed. The Duke of Sussex is said to have been left 'devastated' by the boardroom battle that saw him leave the organisation after 19 years, which he fears will now go 'down in flames'. Harry, who co-founded Sentebale in 2006, is said to consider it a 'hostile takeover' of the charity by chairwoman Dr Sophie Chandauka who he claims has destroyed his 'life's work'. 'She's allowing it to go down in flames because of her own pride and hubris… he has for the last 19 years established this charity from nothing', a source close to Harry claimed. A dispute earlier this year prompted Harry to step down as patron in support of trustees who resigned in opposition to Dr Chandauka, who then accused him of 'harassment and bullying at scale' - a claim that is vehemently denied. On Tuesday, the Charity Commission published a report criticising all sides for making the fallout public with interviews and statements, but the war of words continues. Dr Chandauka then vowed to honour the founding mission of Sentebale in memory of the Duke's late mother after the watchdog ruled she could stay in her position. But sources close to Harry, who co-founded Sentebale in 2006, have criticised the chair, saying her 'hostile takeover' of the charity had destroyed his 'life's work'. The Charity Commission yesterday revealed it had found 'no evidence of widespread or systematic bullying or harassment including misogyny or misogynoir' following a bitter boardroom battle at Sentebale. Neither side was satisfied with the final adjudication, which criticised all parties involved, and, although the regulator urged all to be 'mindful to channel their belief in the charity's mission in a constructive and collaborative way', there seems little hope of the row going away. Dr Chandauka said: 'Despite the recent turbulence, we will always be inspired by the vision of our founders, Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso, who established Sentebale in memory of their precious mothers, Princess Diana and Queen Mamohato.' But a source close to Harry said in response: 'For Sophie Chandauka to have invoked Princess Diana's memory in her own defence was in the poorest possible taste. 'She's got what she wants, which is control of the charity, but unfortunately the people who suffer most out of all of this… are the children of Lesotho and Botswana.' Speaking to the Telegraph, the source added: 'The most devastating thing for Prince Harry in all of this is that his life's work and all the money he was able to pump into Lesotho and Botswana through his work has gone down in flames.' Sentebale meanwhile has appeared to suggest allegations made by Dr Chandauka of bullying, harassment and misogyny at the charity - which the commission found no evidence of - may be pursued against individuals through 'avenues more appropriate'. Another source said: 'This has been emotionally absolutely devastating for Prince Harry and (Sentebale co-founder) Prince Seeiso (of Lesotho). What's been perpetrated over the last few months is nothing short of a hostile takeover.' Seeiso also stepped down as patron of the charity which works in Botswana and Lesotho supporting the health and wellbeing of young people, especially those with HIV and Aids. The source added: 'You have to remember Prince Seeiso and Prince Harry started this charity nearly two decades ago to honour the work and continue the legacy of their mothers Queen Mamohato and Princess Diana, and the work that they had done in southern Africa to support those living with HIV and Aids. 'In the 19 years that they have worked with this charity, and a lot of the former board of trustee members, they have raised tens of millions of pounds and distributed tens of millions of pounds.' The commission criticised all parties in the dispute for allowing it to play out publicly and described how all trustees contributed to a 'missed opportunity' to resolve the issues that led to the serious disagreement which risked undermining public trust in charities generally. The regulator, which cannot investigate individual allegations of bullying, 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. After conducting its regulatory compliance case the commission issued a Regulatory Action Plan with Sentebale saying it had complied with the steps, from implementing an internal dispute policy to improving the charity's complaints and whistle-blowing procedures. The trustees who resigned said in a statement they were 'gravely concerned for the future of the charity' adding they were 'disheartened' by the way the regulator had 'chosen to ignore key concerns and irrefutable evidence raised with them regarding the leadership and oversight of Sentebale's chair'. Sentebale said in 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.'
Daily Mail
06-08-2025
- Daily Mail
Prince Harry cleared of bullying after quitting charity amid row
Prince Harry last night walked away from his African youth charity following a damning report into an explosive race row. A Charity Commission investigation criticised both sides of the acrimonious boardroom battle yet the war of words between the two showed no sign of abating. The probe said it could find 'no evidence' of 'widespread or systemic bullying or harassment, including misogyny or misogynoir' at Sentebale after its new chair, Dr Sophie Chandauka, made a series of incendiary allegations about the behaviour of the Duke of Sussex and his fellow trustees. And it criticised the trustees, including Harry, who resigned en masse in the spring, after the furore blew up in the public domain. Their failure to resolve disputes internally, 'severely impacted the charity's reputation and risked undermining public trust in charities more generally,' the Charity Commission found. In March, Harry resigned as patron of Sentebale, the charity he founded in 2006, going on to say he expected the investigation to 'unveil the truth' while hoping the charity would be 'put in the right hands', suggesting there may have been a path back for him. Sentebale was set up to help orphans with Aids in the impoverished kingdom of Lesotho in memory of his late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales. The name means 'forget me not' in the country's official language. Last night, he made clear he had no intention of returning, with a spokesman saying: 'With the original mission of Sentebale firmly in mind - and in honour of the legacy he and Prince Seeiso [of Lesotho] began - The Duke of Sussex will now focus on finding new ways to continue supporting the children of Lesotho and Botswana.' The watchdog acknowledged the 'strong perception of ill treatment' felt by all parties, including Dr Chandauka, and the impact this may have had on them personally. They ultimately found that a series of failures leading up to, and following, the dispute had led to 'mismanagement in the administration of the charity'. But, despite the Commission urging both sides in the dispute to take a step back from playing out their problems 'in the public eye', it is clear that both sides remain deeply entrenched. In a further escalation of the war of words, a spokesman for the prince said it was 'unsurprising' that the report makes no findings of wrongdoing in relation to himself, or evidence of bullying or racism. The statement also hit out at the Charity Commission itself whose report he claimed fell 'troublingly short in many regards'. In her statement, Dr Chandauka (pictured) emphasised that it was she who first privately raised concerns about the charity's governance with the Commission in February this year. It was only after she did this, she stressed, that 'those who resigned' in March launched an 'unexpected and adverse media campaign' that had gone on to cause 'incalculable damage' to the charity's work. Tellingly, she added that the campaign subsequently publicly waged against her 'offers a glimpse of the unacceptable behaviours displayed in private'. Talking of the 'intense' and difficult process, she added: 'We are emerging not just grateful to have survived but our dignity intact.' The row first exploded publicly in March when The Times newspaper was briefed about Harry's decision to resign from his role along with his co-founder Prince Seeiso and fellow trustees, many of whom were close personal friends and associates of the royal, amid a row with Dr Chandauka about the governance and future of Sentebale. He said his decision was 'devastating' and 'unthinkable' but described her leadership as 'untenable'. Dr Chandauka hit back, claiming the charity was beset by 'misogynoir' - misogyny against black women - and accusing the duke of 'bullying at scale' because she wanted to base the charity's operations and governance more fully in Africa and look for new sources of revenue other than Harry's favoured polo matches. She said scathingly: '...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. I could be anyone.' She also called the Sussexes' brand 'toxic' and said the prince's ability to attract funding for Sentebale had been detrimentally affected by the way he had quit royal duties. Dr Chandauka also lifted the lid on a peculiar incident at a fundraising polo match in April 2024, when Harry and Meghan turned up with a Netflix camera crew in tow, and the duchess was publicly crucified for apparently wanting to hog the limelight. She alleged that Harry asked her to make a statement in defence of his wife and when she refused, saying it was important that Sentebale wasn't seen as an 'extension of the Sussexes', she claimed she received an 'extraordinary, unpleasant and imperious' text message from the prince which further soured their relationship. Following a lengthy investigation into the complaints from both sides, the Charity Commission said last night that it had issued the charity with a 'Regulatory Action Plan' to address 'governance weaknesses' after a 'damaging internal dispute emerged' between Dr Chandauka, the Duke of Sussex and other trustees. The Commission emphasised that its role had been limited to determining whether the charity's current and former trustees, including its chair, have fulfilled their duties and responsibilities under charity law. It is not its responsibility to adjudicate or mediate internal disputes in charities, it stressed. However the Commission also simultaneously admitted that it cannot investigate individual allegations of bullying. The Commission, it said, had identified a lack of clarity around role descriptions and internal policies as the primary cause for weaknesses in the charity's management. It found that this confusion exacerbated tensions, which culminated in a dispute and multiple resignations of trustees and both founding patrons. The Commission found that delegation of certain powers to the chair was 'confusing and poorly governed', but that trustees also failed to have proper processes and policies in place in investigate internal complaints. It added that the fact the ensuing row played out in the media, including explosive television interviews, were not in the charity's best interests. The Commission also found there was a 'missed opportunity; to resolve the issues, which was contributed to by financial difficulties following the Covid pandemic, which contributed to tensions. It added that more robust policies around the position and remit of patrons needed to be put in place. The Commission added: 'The regulator has criticised all parties to the dispute for allowing it [the dispute] to play out publicly, and further concluded that the then trustees' failure to resolve disputes internally severely impacted the charity's reputation and risked undermining public trust in charities more generally. 'We hope our public statement will draw a line in the sand and that the focus can now be on allowing the charity's work to continue. David Holdsworth, chief executive of the Charity Commission, added: '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. This case highlights what can happen when there are gaps in governance and policies critical to charities' ability to deliver for their cause.' Sentebale said it welcomed the announcement and confirmation that the charity has correctly appointed new trustees to take the charity forward. It added that it wished to thank the Charity Commission for the thorough way in which it conducted the review, including 'its responsiveness to the governance concerns that were first privately raised with the Charity Commission in February 2025 through its whistleblowing procedure'. 'With these strong foundations now in place, Sentebale can move forward with confidence - free from interference, committed to continuous improvement, and focused on delivering solutions addressing health, wealth and climate resilience for children and young people in Southern Africa,' it added.
