 "Prince Harry quits Sentebale, the charity he founded for Diana in 2006")
Duke of Sussex Prince Harry has resigned from Sentebale, the charity he co-founded in 2006 alongside Prince Seeiso of Lesotho in memory of his mother Princess Diana.
The organisation was dedicated to supporting orphaned children in Africa.
Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso resigned as patrons on Tuesday, stating their departure would remain in effect until further notice.
According to media reports, internal conflicts plagued the charity, with allegations of harassment and misogyny against board chair Sophie Chandauka. The controversy led to unanimous resignation of the charity's trustees.
In a statement to The Times, Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso expressed their support for the trustees, acknowledging that the ongoing dispute had created an “untenable situation".
Chandauka alleges 'bullying', 'harassment'
After the trustees’ resignations, Chandauka, who took on the role of board chair last year, alleged that she faced “bullying, harassment, misogyny, and misogynoir”, alongside governance issues, weak executive leadership, and abuses of power within the charity.
Speaking to The Sun, she claimed that Sentebale’s trustees “behave as though they are above the law and mistreat people". She accused them of leveraging the media to “harm people who have the courage to challenge their conduct". Despite the challenges, she said that she had acted with integrity as a "proud African".
Media reports state that she is reportedly suing the trustees following calls for her resignation.
Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso’s response
The charity’s founders announced their resignation as patrons, expressing their disappointment over the breakdown of trust within the organisation.
As quoted by The Sun, Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso said in a statement: "With heavy hearts, we have resigned from our roles as patrons of the organisation 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," the statement further said.
Trustees' stand
Former Sentebale trustees, including Timothy Boucher, Mark Dyer, Audrey Kgosidintsi, Kelello Lerotholi, and Damian West, stated that Chandauka’s legal action was an attempt to “block us from voting her out".
A spokesperson for Sentebale confirmed that the charity is undergoing a board restructuring, scheduled for March 25, aiming to bring in experts to drive its transformation agenda.
What is Sentebale?
-Sentebale was established to aid individuals living in poverty and those affected by HIV and AIDS in Lesotho.
-Prince Harry co-founded the charity in memory of his mother, Princess Diana, who passed away in 1997.
-He partnered with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, whom he met during his gap year in 2004.
-"Sentebale" translates to "forget-me-not" in Sesotho, the native language of Lesotho.