The Charity Commission has urged the rowing factions of Prince Harry’s African charity to “put their differences behind them” as it appeared that a report on the organisation would not end the dispute.
Following a four-month investigation, the regulator “criticised all parties to the dispute for allowing it to play out publicly” and concluded that the dispute “severely impacted the charity’s reputation and risked undermining public trust in charities more generally”.
Officials at Sentebale, which was founded to help children and young people with HIV/Aids, have suggested that they may now pursue other “avenues” as they seek redress for “individual allegations”. It is unclear which avenues the charity is exploring, however. As a public body, the charity watchdog’s decisions could be subject to a challenge in the High Court.
A spokesman for the Duke of Sussex has said that he will “find new ways” to support the children of Lesotho.
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In July 2023 Sophie Chandauka became chair of the charity that Harry founded nearly 20 years ago. Since then she is understood to have spent about £400,000 on consultants’ fees. The Zimbabwe-born lawyer fell out with the board over the direction the charity should take, and tried to sue the trustees when it became clear they had lost confidence in her leadership.
A subsequent injunction that prevented the board meeting then forced the departure of Harry and his co-founder, Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, along with all the other trustees.
Harry on a visit to Lesotho in 2014
CHRIS JACKSON/GETTY IMAGES
It is understood that the dispute arose when the charity began to focus its attention on the United States, where Harry lives, while Chandauka wanted to anchor Sentebale’s efforts in Africa.
In a Sky television interview after Harry’s departure, she made allegations of “bullying” and “misogynoir”, a term for racism and misogyny directed towards black women. She accused individuals within the organisation of “playing the victim card”.
The report published this week by the Charity Commission said that it had found no evidence to support her claims, despite acknowledging the “strong perception of ill treatment”. The charity regulator also noted that there was no sign of “over-reach by either the chair or the Duke of Sussex as patron”.
The regulator added: “But the commission is critical of the charity’s lack of clarity in delegations to the chair which allowed for misunderstandings to occur. The failure to clarify delegations within the charity to the chair, and the failure to have proper processes for internal complaints, both amount to mismanagement in the administration of the charity.”
The charity has until the end of September to publish its latest accounts.
On Wednesday, a spokesman for the Charity Commission said: “We have issued the charity with an action plan which sets out steps the current trustees need to take to improve governance weaknesses and rectify findings of mismanagement. We now urge all involved to put their differences behind them and allow the charity to focus on its work and beneficiaries.”
Sophie Chandauka with the duke in the US last year
YAROSLAV SABITOV/PA
Sentebale officials pointed to the limitations of the commission’s report and hinted that the dispute would continue.
A spokesman for the charity said: “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.”
Describing the past few months as “intense”, Chandauka added: “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.
“We are emerging not just grateful to have survived, but stronger: more focused, better governed, boldly ambitious and with our dignity intact. 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.”
Prince Seeiso of Lesotho
ANDREW MATTHEWS/PA
Sentebale, which means “forget me not”, was founded by Harry and Prince Seeiso in 2006. Over the past two decades, it has helped children in Lesotho and Botswana.
While the latest accounts have yet to be made public, it is likely to show a drop in revenue.
Undeterred, Chandauka released a statement saying that the “team will directly serve more than 78,000 children and young people this year, matching or exceeding our impact in 2024 at a time of acute need in the region”.
Harry has said that he is “truly heartbroken” to have stepped down from the charity but felt he had no choice.
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In a statement following the report, his office said that the duke would continue to help the children of Lesotho in other ways. It said: “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.”