Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, the country’s prince, has resigned as one of his country’s top aides to Sentebale, the generosity he co-founded almost 20 years ago, citing a “devastating” collapse in relations with the group. The Duke of Sussex, who has been living in self-imposed banishment since stepping down from royal duties in 2020, receives yet another loss from the announcement soon on Tuesday.
Harry and Prince Seeiso, Prince Seeiso’s co-founder, Lesotho’s Prince Seeiso, confirmed their defections in a joint statement, blaming their departure from the nonprofit’s board of trustees and head Isabel Chandauka, who was appointed in 2023.
In support of and in cooperation with the board of trustees, who have had to do the same, we have resigned from our positions as organization visitors until further notice, according to their speech. It is devastating that the connection between the foundation’s directors and the head of the board deteriorated beyond repair, leaving the organization in a precarious position.
Sentebale, which was founded in Lesotho in 2006 in honor of Princess Diana, was established to assist younger people who were affected by HIV and AIDS there. It after expanded to Botswana. Harry had previously pledged to stay committed to the cause even after stepping down from the British royal family, saying to his followers,” We’re no walking away, and we’re definitely not walking away from you.”
But, as the organization reportedly demanded Chandauka’s withdrawal, the tensions began to escalate, leading to an inner conflict. After raising fears about leadership issues at the donation, including statements of abuse, sexism, and racism, Chandauka, a Zimbabwean lawyer, claimed she had been targeted.
In a speech, Chandauka described the incident as” the tale of a lady who dared to raise awareness about issues of poor governance, weak senior management, bullying, harassment, misogyny, misogynoir – and the documents that ensued.”
She even confirmed that she had filed a lawsuit with the UK Charity Commission and that she had reported directors to the UK Charity Commission. Senebale responded by stating that it had not yet received the resignations of Harry and Seeiso but that there was still an ongoing “recalibration of the table.”
The UK’s Charity Commission confirmed that it was aware of the concerns over Sentebale’s leadership and was assessing the situation to determine the best course of action.
The charity made the announcement in December that it would become a “locally led organization” with a stronger emphasis on Southern Africa’s adolescent health, financial stability, and climate resilience. Sentebale relocated its command positions from London to Johannesburg as part of this change.
After directors asked Chandauka to resign, Harry and Seeiso claimed that she had” sued the donation” in an effort to keep her job. Additionally, they indicated that they would talk to the Charity Commission about their problems.
Sentebale was one of the few personal patronages he kept after being stripped of his royal and military names in 2020, so Harry finds the departure important. The foundation’s name, which means “forget me no” in Sesotho, was chosen as a gift to Princess Diana and also functions as a goodnight phrase, which is now carrying an additional layer of metaphor in light of recent events.
