Prince Harry has made the difficult decision to step down from Sentebale, the charity he co-founded nearly two decades ago with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho. The organization, created in 2006 to honor their late mothers and support vulnerable children in Africa, is now facing serious internal conflicts that have forced both founders to resign as patrons.
The crisis began when the relationship between Sentebale’s board of trustees and its chairperson, Sophie Chandauka, completely broke down. Trustees had asked Chandauka to resign, but she reportedly refused and instead took legal action against the charity to keep her position. This left the board with no choice but to resign en masse, including Prince Harry’s longtime friend Mark Dyer, who previously worked for King Charles.
In a heartfelt joint statement, Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso expressed their devastation over the situation. They explained they were resigning in solidarity with the trustees, calling the circumstances “unthinkable” and “untenable.” The princes emphasized their continued belief in Sentebale’s mission but felt they had to step back while the Charity Commission investigates what went wrong.
The charity’s former trustees also released a statement describing their decision to resign as “nothing short of devastating.” They stressed they had acted to protect Sentebale from unnecessary legal costs and damage to its reputation, adding that their priority had always been the children the charity serves.
This development comes as a significant blow to Prince Harry, who has been deeply involved with Sentebale since its creation. Just last year, he traveled to Africa to highlight the charity’s work helping young people affected by HIV. The name “Sentebale” means “forget-me-not” in the local Sesotho language – a promise to always remember vulnerable children that now hangs in the balance as the charity faces this leadership crisis.
While no longer serving as formal patrons, both princes made clear they remain committed to Sentebale’s original vision and will continue supporting its mission in other ways. The coming weeks will be crucial as the Charity Commission investigates and determines how the organization can move forward after this damaging dispute.
