Prince Harry stepped down as a patron of Sentebale on March 25, 2025, after a protracted dispute within the charity he co-founded alongside Prince Seeiso of Lesotho in 2006. This decision came in solidarity with five board members—Timothy Boucher, Mark Dyer, Audrey Kgosidintsi, Kelello Lerotholi, and Damian West—who had recently resigned, citing a significant breakdown in trust with the charity’s chair, Sophie Chandauka.
In a joint statement, the five former trustees indicated that they felt compelled to resign after calling for Ms. Chandauka's removal from her position. They claimed that she responded to their requests by initiating a lawsuit intended to prevent her dismissal, pushing them to vacate their roles to avoid imposing legal costs on the charity. "We could not in good conscience allow Sentebale to undertake that legal and financial burden,” they stressed, emphasizing that their resignation was not a choice, but a necessary step to protect the charity's interests.
Both Ms. Chandauka and the former trustees have leveled accusations of misconduct against one another and have reported their cases to the Charity Commission in Britain. With tensions escalating, Prince Harry's departure marks a significant moment in the charity’s history, spotlighting leadership challenges that have emerged since the appointment of Ms. Chandauka to her role in 2023. The outcome of this dispute remains uncertain, but it has undoubtedly cast a shadow over the charity’s mission and future activities.
