The controversy surrounding Prince Harry's Sentebale charity has intensified following allegations that he 'lost interest' in the organisation after marrying Meghan Markle. Last month, Harry abruptly resigned as patron of the charity he co-founded, which supports young people and children in southern Africa, particularly those affected by HIV and Aids.
Sentebale, now under investigation by the Charity Commission, was established in 2006 in memory of his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, alongside Prince Seeiso of Lesotho. However, a boardroom dispute broke out at the organisation following a public disagreement with its chairwoman, Dr Sophie Chandauka.
A new claim has now surfaced. Khoabane Theko, the principal chief of Thaba Bosiu, where Sentebale is based in Lesotho, has voiced his opinion, suggesting that Harry could have visited "more often".
Speaking to The Telegraph, he recalled: "When [Sentebale] was launched, I remember his words quite vividly, because he was very strong in saying 'my mother, this place, her passion about Africa' and all that."
He lamented, "He's a loved figure because of his openness, but his loss of interest has totally killed the spirit of the Sentebale's survival," reports the Mirror.
Furthermore, he revealed, "I haven't seen him [Prince Harry] since he got himself married."
Despite these claims, Prince Harry has been to Lesotho twice since his marriage to Meghan in May 2018, with his most recent visit being in October last year. The Mirror is seeking responses from Sentebale and from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's office.
Bosiu does not seem to have an official role with the charity.
After an inquiry into Sentebale was announced earlier in the month, Harry expressed his anguish and decried "blatant lies". This development followed the chair Ms Chandauka's allegations of bullying and harassment aimed at her dismissal.
The controversy escalated as several trustees departed amid boardroom clash with Dr Chandauka. They had demanded her resignation due to leadership concerns, which she refused.
Harry issued a resolute statement earlier this month, expressing his relief at the Charity Commission investigation and his hope that it would lead to the charity being "put in the right hands immediately".
Prince Harry has spoken out about the recent turmoil surrounding Sentebale, the charity he co-founded with Prince Seeiso nearly 20 years ago. He expressed his devastation: "From the inception of Sentebale nearly 20 years ago, Prince Seeiso and I have had a clear goal: to support the children and young people in Southern Africa in memory of our mothers. What has transpired over the last week has been heartbreaking to witness, especially when such blatant lies hurt those who have invested decades in this shared goal. No one suffers more than the beneficiaries of Sentebale itself."
He continued, stating the former trustees and patrons' feelings of relief that an inquiry is to be conducted: "On behalf of the former trustees and patrons, we share in the relief that the Charity Commission confirmed they will be conducting a robust inquiry. We fully expect it will unveil the truth that collectively forced us to resign. We remain hopeful this will allow for the charity to be put in the right hands immediately, for the sake of the communities we serve."
This statement follows the earlier announcement by Harry and Prince Seeiso regarding their resignations from the charity. They said it came "with heavy hearts" and described the situation as "devastating that the relationship between the charity's trustees and the chair of the board broke down beyond repair, creating an untenable situation".
Dr Chandauka hit back with a statement of her own, alleging "poor governance, weak executive management, abuse of power, bullying, harassment, misogyny, misogynoir". These allegations have been vehemently denied.
She also seemed to take a swipe at Harry for his approach to the media and what she called his use of "the victim card". Insiders close to the former trustees and patrons of Sentebale labelled Dr Chandauka's remarks as nothing more than a "publicity stunt".
On television, the charity boss further claimed that the Duke had attempted to "eject" her from Sentebale through acts of "bullying" and "harassment". The controversy then roped in Meghan when an old video from a Sentebale polo match in Miami resurfaced last April.
The footage captured an uncomfortable moment where the Duchess of Sussex appears to direct who should stand where during a photo op, resulting in Ms Chandauka moving from beside Prince Harry to stand next to Meghan, even ducking under a trophy in the process. In an interview, Ms Chandauka commented on the incident, suggesting that Meghan's last-minute decision to attend the event – bringing along her "very famous friend" Serena Williams – was unexpected.
Speaking to Sir Trevor Phillips on Sky News, she recalled: "We would have been really excited had we known ahead of time [Meghan was coming], but we didn't."
She also stated that Prince Harry had requested her to publicly back Meghan following the online controversy, yet she rebuffed him, declaring the charity "cannot be an extension of the Sussexes" Allegations later surfaced that Harry sent Dr Chandauka a rather 'unpleasant' text demanding she "explain herself", employing "imperious" language that purportedly left the charity chairperson quite "taken aback". Nevertheless, insiders close to the Sussexes argue that these accusations might just be ploys to "deflect from the serious matters at play here."
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