Prince Harry: Royal criticised in charity commission report into Sentebale after bullying, race allegations

The Duke of Sussex and others have been criticised by the Charity Commission for letting a “damaging” boardroom battle play out in the “public eye” and harm the reputation of a good cause co-founded by Harry.

The charity regulator investigated Sentebale after founders Harry and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho stepped down as its patrons in support of a group of trustees, who resigned following a dispute with board of trustees chairwoman Dr Sophie Chandaka.

The watchdog 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 that led to the serious disagreement that risked undermining public trust in charities generally.

Harry’s spokesperson attacked the findings, saying “Unsurprisingly, the Commission makes no findings of wrongdoing in relation to Sentebale’s Co-Founder and former Patron, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex. They also found no evidence of widespread bullying, harassment or misogyny and misogynoir at the charity, as falsely claimed by the current Chair.

“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.”

A source close to the affair told People,” “Both Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso are devastated by what has effectively been a hostile takeover by Sophie Chandauka,” the source close to the former trustees and patrons says.

“This was Prince Seeiso and Prince Harry’s life work. They established it 19 years ago and in that time put in blood, sweat and tears and their own money into building this charity up to what it was: a multi-million pound charity that delivered nothing but good for the beneficiary community that is supported in Lesotho and Botswana.”

Dr Chandaka said: “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.”

The fallout came after Sentebale’s trustees sought in 2023 to introduce a new fundraising strategy, with the dispute arising between Dr Chandaka and some of the trustees and Harry, said the regulator.

A war of words followed the resignations with Harry and Seeiso issuing a joint statement in March, describing their decision as “devastating” and adding they could see “no other path forward as the result of our loss in trust and confidence in the chair of the board”.

Dr Chandaka hit back in a television interview accusing the duke of being “involved” in a “cover-up” of an investigation about bullying, harassment and misogyny at the organisation and said the “toxicity” of his brand had impacted the charity which had seen a drop in donors since Harry moved to the United States.

The regulator, which cannot investigate individual allegations of bullying, found no evidence of systemic bullying or harassment, including misogyny or misogynoir — prejudice against black women — at the charity but acknowledged “the strong perception of ill treatment” felt by some involved.

David Holdsworth, chief executive of the Charity Commission, said: “Passion for a cause is the bedrock of volunteering and charity, delivering positive impact for millions of people here at home and abroad every day.

“However, in the rare cases when things go wrong, it is often because that very passion has become a weakness rather than a strength.

“Sentebale’s problems played out in the public eye, enabling a damaging dispute to harm the charity’s reputation, risk overshadowing its many achievements, and jeopardising the charity’s ability to deliver for the very beneficiaries it was created to serve.”

Harry founded charity Sentebale in 2006 with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho to help young people and children in southern Africa, particularly those living with HIV and Aids.