Prince Harry's Megxit Hurt Own Charity's Reputation and Donations: 'The Problem Started When He Left the UK'
Prince Harry's departure from the UK and subsequent split from the royal family have had lasting effects, including on the charity he co-founded, Sentebale. The organization, which provides support to young people affected by AIDS in southern Africa, has been at the center of controversy after the Duke of Sussex and all five trustees resigned on Tuesday.
Now the charity's chairwoman, Dr. Sophie Chandauka, is speaking out, accusing Harry of pitting his PR machine against her and branding him as "toxic."
"The only reason I'm here is because at some point on Tuesday, Prince Harry authorized the release of a damaging piece of news to the outside world without informing me or my country directors, or my executive director," Chandauka told Sky News on Sunday.
She added, "And can you imagine what that attack has done for me, on me and the 540 individuals in the Sentebale organizations and their famil[ies]? That is an example of harassment and bullying at scale."
A close friend of the former Sentebale trustees described Chandauka's claims as "completely baseless," adding in a statement to Sky News that the resignations were always expected and made for the best interest of the charity.
Pressure and Internal Struggle Allegations
Chandauka alleged that Prince Harry made efforts to have her ousted from the charity and pressured the organization to issue a public statement backing Meghan Markle following an unsuccessful polo fundraiser she planned.
"I said I wouldn't," Chandauka stated. "Not because I didn't care about the duchess, but because I knew what would happen if I did so, number one. And number two, because we cannot be an extension of the Sussexes."
She also said that several donors and sponsors for the charity also pulled support around the time Harry and Meghan left the UK. When she inquired why, she was told, "It was an uncomfortable conversation to have with Prince Harry in the room."
Chandauka, however, said in a Financial Times interview that both Prince Harry and co-founder Prince Seeiso had tried to "force a failure" at Sentebale in Lesotho and then "come in and save the day." Perhaps the most damning of all her claims was that the charity's most significant issue was "the toxicity of its lead patron's brand."
The comments come after Harry and Seeiso said that their departure on Tuesday was due to an "untenable situation" with the charity.
"The relationship between the charity's trustees and the chair of the board broke down beyond repair," the statement read. "These trustees acted in the best interest of the charity in asking the chair to step down while keeping the wellbeing of staff in mind. In turn, she sued the charity to remain in this voluntary position, further underscoring the broken relationship.
Since then, the UK Charity Commission has announced that it is investigating the situation. A spokesman said, "We can confirm that we are aware of concerns about the governance of Sentebale," a spokesperson said. "We are assessing the issues to determine the appropriate regulatory steps."
