Prince Harry announced on March 25 that he has resigned as patron of Sentebale, the charity he co-founded in honor of his late mother, following intense disputes within the organization’s leadership. This decision came after a monthslong conflict came into the open between the charity’s chair, Sophie Chandauka, and five of its trustees, ultimately leading to the departures of both Harry and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, with whom he established the charity in 2006.
The five trustees—Timothy Boucher, Mark Dyer, Audrey Kgosidintsi, Kelello Lerotholi, and Damian West—relayed in a joint statement their loss of “trust and confidence” in Ms. Chandauka. They alleged that after demanding her resignation from her position, Ms. Chandauka retaliated by filing a lawsuit in Britain that aimed to prevent the board from voting her out, compelling the trustees to step down to shield Sentebale from the financial implications of the legal struggle.
In their statement, the former board members noted, “We could not in good conscience allow Sentebale to undertake that legal and financial burden and have been left with no other option but to vacate our positions." They emphasized that their resignation was not a voluntary choice but a necessary measure to protect the charity’s interests. Scenarios of wrongdoing have now reached the UK’s Charity Commission, as both parties involved have submitted claims and evidence against each other.
