Prince Harry cleared of “bullying” in African charity row

Prince Harry cleared of bullying by UK charity watchdog

After a month‑long inquiry, the UK charity regulator found no evidence of bullying in a boardroom dispute involving Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, and his Sentebale charity.

Background of the conflict

• In March and April, Sentebale chair Sophie Chandauka publicly accused Harry of “bullying”.
• Earlier, Harry and Lesotho royalty Prince Seeiso announced they were resigning after the trustees left the charity.
• Sentebale, founded in 2006, works to help young people with HIV and AIDS in Lesotho and Botswana.

Commission’s findings

The Charity Commission’s conclusions, published Wednesday, stated:

• No evidence of widespread or systemic bullying at Sentebale.
• All parties criticised for allowing the dispute to play out publicly.
• The charity’s reputation was severely impacted by the public dispute.
• There was a lack of clarity in delegations, leading to mismanagement in administration.

The regulator issued a plan to address governance weaknesses for Sentebale.

Sentebale’s response

Sentebale welcomes the findings in a statement. Chandauka, appointed in 2023 and still chair, said:

“I appreciate the conclusions, confirming the governance concerns I raised privately in February 2025.”

She did not address that claims of systemic bullying were dismissed.

Harry’s remarks

In April, Harry said the events were “heartbreaking to witness,” especially when “blatant lies hurt those who have invested decades in this shared goal.”

After accusing the prince of trying to force her out, Chandauka criticized Harry for:

• Bringing a Netflix camera crew to a polo fundraiser last year.
• A planned appearance by Meghan at the event.

Commission’s future recommendations

Commission chief executive David Holdsworth urged all parties to keep focus on those relying on Sentebale’s services and to implement the improvements.

Sentebale’s founding vision

Prince Harry chose the name Sentebale as a tribute to his mother, Princess Diana, who died in 1997. In Sesotho, it means “forget me not,” also used to say goodbye.

Chandauka added, “Despite recent turbulence, we remain inspired by our founders’ vision, Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso.”