London, England – Prince Harry announced his resignation as a patron of Sentebale, a Lesotho-based British charity that he co-founded, due to a dispute between the board of trustees and the chair. The resignation also involved co-founder Prince Seeiso of Lesotho and Sentebale’s board of trustees. The row resulted in Dr. Sophie Chandauka suing the charity after being asked to step down, claiming “abuse of power” and “harassment”. The UK Charity Commission is currently investigating concerns about the charity’s governance.
Sentebale, established in 2006 by Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso, focuses on addressing the impact of HIV and Aids on youth in Lesotho and Botswana. Both princes expressed their disappointment over the breakdown of the relationship between the trustees and the chair, resulting in their resignation as Patrons. Former trustees also cited losing trust and confidence in the chair as the reason for their resignation, aiming to protect the charity’s best interests.
Dr. Sophie Chandauka’s actions at Sentebale were driven by a commitment to fairness and equitable treatment for all individuals, irrespective of social status. She spoke out against issues of poor governance, abuse of power, bullying, harassment, and cover-ups within the organization. Despite not receiving official resignations from the Royal Patrons, Sentebale confirmed a board restructuring to advance the charity’s transformation agenda focused on youth health, wealth, and climate resilience in Southern Africa.
The Charity Commission acknowledged concerns regarding Sentebale’s governance and stated that they are evaluating the situation to determine the appropriate regulatory actions. The restructuring of the board includes the addition of experts to accelerate Sentebale’s transformation goals. The organization’s shift from solely addressing the impact of HIV and AIDS to a broader focus on youth health, wealth, and climate resilience reflects its ambitious agenda for the future.