The Duke of Sussex has been left emotionally devastated by a boardroom battle that forced him to step down from his charity Sentebale, according to sources close to the prince. Harry resigned as patron in support of trustees who quit in opposition to board chairwoman Dr Sophie Chandauka.
The dispute has been described as a "hostile takeover" by insiders, with the fallout continuing despite a Charity Commission report published on Tuesday. The regulator criticised all sides for making the conflict public through interviews and statements.
Commission finds no evidence
The Charity Commission found no evidence to support allegations of bullying, harassment and misogyny at the charity made by Dr Chandauka. However, Sentebale appeared to suggest these claims may still be pursued against individuals through "avenues more appropriate" than the commission.
A source said: "This has been emotionally absolutely devastating for Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso. What's been perpetrated over the last few months is nothing short of a hostile takeover." Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, who co-founded the charity with Harry, also stepped down as patron.
Nearly two decades of work
The charity works in Botswana and Lesotho supporting young people's health and wellbeing, particularly those with HIV and Aids. The source emphasised the personal significance of the work for both princes, saying they started Sentebale nearly two decades ago to honour their mothers' legacies.
"You have to remember Prince Seeiso and Prince Harry started this charity nearly two decades ago to honour the work and continue the legacy of their mothers Queen Mamohato and Princess Diana," the source said. The charity has raised and distributed tens of millions of pounds over 19 years.
Regulatory action plan
The commission criticised all parties for allowing the dispute to play out publicly, describing it as a "missed opportunity" to resolve issues that risked undermining public trust in charities generally. The regulator acknowledged "the strong perception of ill treatment" felt by some involved, despite finding no evidence of systemic problems.
Following its investigation, the commission issued a Regulatory Action Plan with Sentebale, which the charity said it had complied with. The steps included implementing an internal dispute policy and improving complaints and whistle-blowing procedures.
Trustees express concerns
The resigned trustees said in a statement they were "gravely concerned for the future of the charity" and "disheartened" by the regulator's approach. They claimed the commission had "chosen to ignore key concerns and irrefutable evidence raised with them regarding the leadership and oversight of Sentebale's chair".
Sentebale responded by clarifying that the Charity Commission "is not the commission's responsibility to adjudicate or mediate internal disputes". The charity noted that individual allegations had not been investigated and therefore no findings were made about individuals, including Prince Harry.
(PA) Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
