Princess Diana's Name Has Been Brought Into Prince Harry's Sentebale Row: "Poorest Possible Taste"
A source close to the Duke of Sussex slammed the charity's chair after she brought up the late princess.
Prince Harry made the "unthinkable" decision to step down from Sentebale, the charity he founded nearly 20 years ago, amid shocking bullying claims earlier this year. On August 5, the U.K.'s Charity Commission released the reports of its investigation—which cleared the Duke of Sussex of "harassment" or "misogyny"—but now a source close to the royal has condemned a statement from Sentebale's chair.
Prince Harry, his Sentebale co-founder, Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, and trustees of the charity stepped down in March amid disputes involving its chair, Dr. Sophie Chandauka. The Zimbabwean lawyer then lashed out in a statement, raising allegations of "poor governance, weak executive management, abuse of power, bullying, harassment, misogyny, misogynoir—and the cover-up that ensued."
According to the Charity Commission's report, there was no evidence of "over-reach" by the Duke of Sussex or Chandauka, nor was there any "widespread or systemic bullying or harassment, including misogyny or misogynoir at the charity." However, the commission said "all parties" were to blame for the "incalculable damage" to Sentebale due to the media firestorm surrounding the charity battle.
Prince Harry is pictured with Nacho Figueras and Sophie Chandauka at the 2023 Sentebale ISPS Handa Polo Cup.
Prince Harry is pictured with a group of women during an October 2024 visit to Lesotho with Sentebale.
After the Charity Commission's report this week, Chandauka's statement read, in part, "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."
The Duke of Sussex and Prince Seeiso founded their former charity in 2006, and a source close to Prince Harry told the Telegraph that bringing up Diana's name was inappropriate given the circumstances.
"For Sophie Chandauka to have invoked Princess Diana’s memory in her own defense was in the poorest possible taste," the insider said. "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.
The source added that it was "devastating" for Prince Harry to watch Sentebale "go down in flames" after he made the charity "his life's work" for the past 19 years. Moving forward, the duke is said to be considering other ways to work with young people in Southern Africa.
On August 6, a Sentebale statement insinuated that Chandauka's battle with the Duke of Sussex isn't over. It read, "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."
