LONDON — Sophie Chandauka, a Zimbabwean corporate finance lawyer and chairperson of the African charity Sentebale, has publicly accused Prince Harry of “harassment and bullying at scale.” This allegation comes in the wake of a significant shake-up at the charity, following the resignation of its co-founders, Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, along with other members of the board.
Sentebale, which means “forget me not” in Sesotho, was established in 2006 by Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso in memory of Princess Diana. The organization’s mission is to support young people affected by HIV and AIDS in Lesotho, Botswana, and Malawi.
The controversy surfaced when Chandauka claimed in a television interview that Prince Harry had orchestrated a publicity stunt by announcing his and others’ sudden departure from the charity without prior notification to her or other key leaders within the organization. Chandauka described the move as a direct attack on her and detrimental to the morale of the charity’s staff.
During a Sky News interview, Chandauka expressed her distress, stating that the unexpected announcement had a profound impact on her and the 540 individuals associated with Sentebale and their families. She characterized the act as a prime example of large-scale harassment and bullying.
It was reported that contrary to Chandauka’s claims, the resignation letter was issued to her on March 10, considerably before the news became public knowledge.
In addition to these challenges, Chandauka highlighted ongoing tensions between herself and Prince Harry, which reportedly began over a year ago when she was asked to help manage negative media coverage aimed at Meghan Markle, Prince Harry’s wife. Chandauka refused, emphasizing that the charity should not serve as an extension of the Sussex’s public relations efforts.
Despite the founders’ resignations, Chandauka remains optimistic about the future of Sentebale, affirming its durability and ongoing relevance without Prince Harry’s direct involvement. She suggested that the departure of the high-profile patrons could perhaps be a strategy to later “rescue” the organization—a notion she critiqued sharply.
The rift appears to stem from profound disagreements over management and the strategic direction of Sentebale, underscored by differing views on media and public relations approaches.
As this situation unfolds, the future of Sentebale hangs in a delicate balance, navigating through internal disputes and its public image amidst these high-profile accusations.
This article was automatically written by Open AI. The people, facts, circumstances, and story portrayed may be inaccurate, and any article can be requested to be removed, retracted, or corrected by writing an email to [email protected].