Prince Harry Walks Away from His Own Charity After Bitter Boardroom Showdown: 'Relationship Is Beyond Repair'
Prince Harry is leaving his position at Sentebale, the charity he created nearly twenty years ago, after a dramatic internal fallout. Trustees of the charity said the decision followed an irreparable breakdown in relations between them and the charity's chair, Dr. Sophie Chandauka, that had resulted in resignations and claims of bullying.
The Duke of Sussex founded Sentebale — along with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho — in 2006 to help vulnerable children affected by extreme poverty and HIV/AIDS in Lesotho and Botswana.
However, an unprecedented rift in its leadership ranks has come over a power struggle for the direction of the organization.
Scandals Forced Many Out of Sentebale
Dr. Chandauka, the Zimbabwe-born former lawyer who was appointed chair of the board of trustees last year, has made allegations of "cover-up" behavior among her colleagues and an environment "where bullying, harassment, misogyny and misogynoir" flourish.
In a press release, she called it "weak executive management and abuse of power."
Chandauka had a dig at people she felt abused their power but then portrayed the victim when challenged. According to her, some use the media to get back at people who expose what they are doing—and the media may, if they so choose, shun these individuals, but that will not stop them from using it as a weapon.
She said per the Daily Mail, "There are people in this world who act like they are above the law and treat people like worthless dirt, but when anyone dares to stand up to their behavior, they play the victim and use the press, which they disdain, to do damage on others who dare to stand against their behaviors."
The fallout reportedly started after the charity was turned away due to fundraising efforts being moved to Africa, prompting a rift between the prince and his crew. Amid the unprecedented turbulence, which resulted in other major CEOs, including Richard Miller, standing down, Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso issued a joint statement saying they were 'disappointed' by the turn of the tide.
"What's transpired is unthinkable. We are in shock that we have to do this," the statement read. "Nearly 20 years ago, we founded Sentebale in honor of our mothers. Sentebale means 'forget-me-not' in Sesotho, and it's what we've always promised for the young people we've served through this charity."
The two royal founders resigned from the board of trustees, saying that loss of trust is a problem which cannot be mended.
They said in a statement, "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."
A Charity in Crisis
The former trustees, including long-time Prince Harry confidante Mark Dyer, said in a statement that they had all agreed to resign.
"Today's decision is nothing short of devastating for all of us, but we see no other path forward as the result of our loss in trust and confidence in the chair of the board," they said.
"Our priority has always been, and will always be, what's in the best interest of the charity, and it's desperately sad the breakdown in relationship escalated to a lawsuit by the chair against the charity, to block us from voting her out after our request for her resignation was rejected. 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."
Chandauka, however, has remained defiant under increasing pressure to walk away from her post, claiming she still believes in the work of Sentebale.
"I stand for those other women who do not have the ways and means," she declared. "I will continue to faithfully perform my role as chair of the board, and I look forward to the opportunity to work with others who are interested in issues of health, wealth, and climate resilience for young people in Africa."
Since then, Sentebale has announced changes to its leadership, saying it was reorganizing its leadership to ensure it "introduce experts with the capabilities and networks to accelerate Sentebale's transformation agenda."
