Latest news with #Seeiso
Sky News AU
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Sky News AU
Prince Harry plans fresh HIV/AIDS initiative with Prince Seeiso as 'ugly' fallout from Sentebale chair Dr Sophie Chandauka intensifies
Prince Harry is weighing plans to create a new African charity in partnership with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho following their dramatic exit from Sentebale earlier this year. The Duke of Sussex, 40, and his long-time co-founder quit their roles as patrons in March after their relationship with the charity's chair, Dr Sophie Chandauka, "broke down beyond repair". Dr Chandauka, a Zimbabwean lawyer, later alleged she had been subjected to bullying, harassment and misogynoir- discrimination against black women. While the British Charity Commission last week found "no evidence" to support those claims, sources say both princes are determined to continue the work they began nearly two decades ago helping children and young people living with HIV/AIDS in southern Africa. "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," a spokesperson told the Mail on Sunday. "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." One insider added: "He and Prince Seeiso are keen to work together on a new venture. They are talking about setting up a new charity or clubbing together to support other existing charities doing similar work in the region." Royal editor Russell Myers told The Royal Report on Sunday the outcome of the Commission's investigation had been "a bit of a mixed bag" for Harry. "He did step back from the charity that he founded with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho back in 2006. It was in both of their mothers' memories, having lost their mothers at a young age, and they wanted to try and change the fortunes of the least fortunate children in the country," Myers said. He noted that Sentebale had become "one of the pillars" of Harry's charitable work, but tensions between the board and its chair had escalated into a "war of words" that eventually saw the British media and the Commission drawn in. While the Commission ruled against Dr Chandauka's allegations, it found that "ill feeling" remained within the organisation. It is understood Sentebale has not ruled out pursuing the Duke of Sussex through other avenues over Dr Chandauka's claims. "While Prince Harry has said that the ruling hadn't gone the way he had wanted, he has been accused of sort of cherry-picking statements from that report," Myers added. "He finds himself in a pretty difficult position… the real issue here is certainly the children at the centre of this." Sky News host Caroline Di Russo called the situation "such a shame for all involved". According to the Mail on Sunday, Harry has now escalated matters further, lodging a formal complaint about Dr Chandauka's conduct. His office claims she has been "recycling" unfounded allegations under the guise of clarification, which they say "directly impact" his other charitable work. Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso established Sentebale, meaning "Forget Me Not" in Sesotho, the language of Lesotho, 2006 in honour of their late mothers, Princess Diana and Mamohato Bereng Seeiso. Over the years, Harry has contributed significant funds to the organisation, including £1.2 million (AUD $2.4 million) from the proceeds of his 2023 memoir Spare.
The Herald Scotland
15 hours ago
- Health
- The Herald Scotland
Harry starting new humanitarian charity ‘a possibility' amid Sentebale row
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. Sentebale chairwoman Sophie Chandauka has publicly criticised Harry's role at the charity in recent months (Yaroslav Sabitov/PA) '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.'
Time of India
17 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
After Sentebale Storm, Harry Plans New African Mission; War Continues
Prince Harry is taking bold steps to outmaneuver his boardroom rival by launching a new charity focused on helping African children. Though he recently stepped down from Sentebale following a controversial report, Harry remains dedicated to the charity's important mission. Sources reveal that Harry and co-founder Prince Seeiso are exploring options to start a fresh venture or collaborate with similar organizations in the region. Last week, a Charity Commission cleared Harry of bullying allegations but criticised Sentebale's governance and public disputes. Harry has formally accused Sentebale chair Dr. Sophie Chandauka of recycling false claims for personal gain. Despite warnings against airing internal conflicts publicly, the board remains intact, leaving Harry feeling betrayed. After being cleared, Harry expressed that the biggest victims are the children who depend on Sentebale's support.
USA Today
4 days ago
- Politics
- USA Today
Prince Harry speaks out after being cleared of bullying in Sentebale charity dispute
Prince Harry is speaking out after being cleared of bullying charges associated with his charitable leadership. Britain's charity regulator said Aug. 6 that it had found no evidence of bullying at a charity set up by Harry but criticized all parties for allowing a dispute to become public. In March, he stepped down as a patron of Sentebale, a philanthropic organization he set up to help young people with HIV and AIDS in Lesotho and Botswana, following a conflict between trustees and the chair of the board. The chair later accused Harry and others of bullying, racism and misogyny. "Unsurprisingly, the Commission makes no findings of wrongdoing in relation to" Harry, Sentebale's cofounder, a spokesperson for Harry said in a statement to USA TODAY. "They also found no evidence of widespread bullying, harassment or misogyny and misogynoir at the charity, as falsely claimed by the current Chair," the statement continued. "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." Duchess Meghan applauds Prince Harry for 'beautiful 24 hours' and birthday dinner "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," the spokesperson added. "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.' In its report, Britain's Charity Commission said it found no evidence of "widespread or systemic bullying or harassment, including misogyny," but it said there had been weak governance. There was a lack of clarity about policies and roles, and no proper process to deal with internal complaints, it argued, issuing Sentebale with a regulatory action plan to address its concerns. "Sentebale's problems played out in the public eye, enabling a damaging dispute to harm the charity's reputation," Charity Commission CEO David Holdsworth said. Harry co-founded Sentebale in 2006 in honor of his mother, Princess Diana, nine years after she was killed in a Paris car crash. Sentebale means "forget-me-not" in the local language of Lesotho in southern Africa. Co-founder Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, as well as the board of trustees, joined Harry in leaving Sentebale in March following a leadership dispute with chair Sophie Chandauka, a Zimbabwe-born lawyer who has refused to step down and sued the charity in order to retain her position, according to the U.K.'s The Times. "Nearly 20 years ago, we founded Sentebale in honor of our mothers. Sentebale means 'forget-me-not' in Sesotho ... and it's what we've always promised for the young people we've served through this charity," Harry and Seeiso said in a joint statement obtained by United Kingdom news outlets Sky News and The Times at the time. The princes resigned "in support of and solidarity" with the board of trustees, who had acted in the best interests of the charity in asking the chair to step down, the joint statement said. "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 continued. In a statement shared with Reuters at the time, Chandauka said she would continue to perform her role. "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," she said. She added that underlying the "victim narrative and fiction" that she said had been fed to the media was "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." Harry, who lives in California with his wife, Duchess Meghan, and their two children, stopped working as a member of the royal family in 2020. He has been heavily involved in causes in Africa for many years and visited Nigeria last year. Contributing: Reuters; Taijuan Moorman, Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Prince Harry raging over collapse of 'life's work' following Sentebale charity row
Prince Harry left his Sentebale charity following a dispute - described as a "hostile takeover" - and a report into this has been published by the Charity Commission Prince Harry is furious by the events surrounding the boardroom battle that saw him leave his Sentebale charity, it is understood. The Duke of Sussex, 40, has reportedly spent hours on the phone ranting to supporters late into the night since the report into the dispute was published this week. It is believed in these conversations, Harry raged about the "hostile takeover" of his "life's work," which led to him stepping down as patron of the charity. There is concern Sentebale, which the Duke and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho founded in 2006 to support children impacted by HIV and Aids, may not survive the fallout over its governance, which first became public in March. It comes as speculation grows Harry and Meghan Markle may return to the royal fold. Writing in relation to the Sentebale row, Rebecca English, a royal journalist, said: "Harry, I am told, is 'utterly devastated', spending hours on the phone from California to supporters late into the night raging about a 'hostile takeover' of his 'life's work'." READ MORE: 'Prince Harry and Prince William MUST bury the hatchet - or there'll be incalculable damage' Ms English, the Daily Mail's royal editor, has revealed the Duke's fury at the row, nearly 20 years after she and other reporters were shown around a dusty wasteland set to become Sentebale's first base in Lesotho. But recently, the board chairwoman Dr Sophie Chandauka had accused the charity of bullying, harassment and misogyny - allegations the commission found no evidence of - and a bitter fallout became public. "One source close to the prince told me yesterday there was 'no way in hell' he would ever work with Sentebale again – 'or at least not while Sophie Chandauka and her new stool pigeons [new trustees] were in place," Ms English continued. The dispute has been described this week as a "hostile takeover". However, the Charity Commission criticised all parties in the fallout 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 that risked undermining public trust in charities generally. The watchdog 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. Yet a 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.
