Prince Harry has been left feeling “wounded” and “upset” amid the ongoing controversy surrounding his charity, Sentebale, according to a close friend.
Last week, the Duke of Sussex, 40, and his co-founder, Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, announced their decision to step down as patrons of the organization “until further notice.”
Following their resignation, Sentebale’s chair, Sophie Chandauka, publicly accused Prince Harry of ‘bullying’, further escalating the dispute.
Prince Harry Resigns from Sentebale Amid Growing Tensions
Prince Harry co-founded Sentebale in 2006 alongside Prince Seeiso to support children and young people living with HIV or AIDS, offering them a safe space to address their mental health needs while equipping them with essential resources.
However, after nearly two decades of dedication to the charity, Harry stepped down amid an unresolved dispute with Sophie Chandauka, the charity’s chair. While specific details remain undisclosed, The Times reported that the conflict stemmed from a shift in fundraising focus toward Africa.
In a joint statement, Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso expressed their disappointment, saying:
“It is devastating that the relationship between the charity’s trustees and the chair of the board broke down beyond repair, creating an untenable situation.”
Meanwhile, Chandauka strongly criticized Harry, accusing him of ‘bullying’ and misconduct.
In a statement, she said:
“Beneath all the victim narrative and fiction that has been syndicated to press is the story of a woman who dared to blow the whistle about issues of poor governance, weak executive management, abuse of power, bullying, harassment, misogyny, misogynoir – and the cover-up that ensued.”
She also alleged that Harry pressured the charity to release a statement defending Meghan Markle when she faced backlash for her actions at a polo event last year.
Prince Harry ‘Heartbroken’ Over the Situation
Now, Alex Rayner, a longtime friend of Prince Harry who attended Eton with him and traveled to the North Pole together in 2012, has spoken out about how Harry is coping with the situation.
Speaking to MailOnline, Alex revealed that he had spoken with Harry over the weekend.
“H is very happy for me to speak for him about how he feels about this awful situation. He is just beyond heartbroken and flabbergasted that the charity he founded as a teenager has been taken hostage by the chair,” Alex said.
He further described the situation as feeling like “a hostile takeover”, adding:
“He is so upset and hurt and wounded about the things that are being said about him.”
As for Harry’s next steps, Alex admitted it remains uncertain:
“I think it’s too early to tell whether he will just walk away now or whether he might try and get it back. The way he feels is as if he has had one of his fingers cut off.”
A Royal Insider has reached out to Harry’s representatives for comment.
Charity Chair Accuses Harry of Seeking Support for Meghan
The controversy surrounding Sentebale intensified after claims emerged that Harry requested a public statement in defense of Meghan Markle following an awkward moment at a charity polo event last year.
During the event, Meghan reportedly asked Sophie Chandauka to move out of the way so she could stand next to Harry. This led to Chandauka ducking under the trophy Harry was holding and shifting positions, a moment that was captured on camera and widely discussed in the media.
Speaking to Sky News about the incident, Chandauka explained:
“We would have been really excited had we known ahead of time [Meghan was coming], but we didn’t.”
She added that the unplanned nature of Meghan’s appearance led to a chaotic stage arrangement, which sparked media scrutiny:
“The international press captured this, and there was a lot of talk about the duchess and the choreography on stage and whether she should have been there and her treatment of me.”
Following the backlash, Chandauka revealed that Prince Harry asked her to release a statement defending Meghan, but she declined.
“Not because I didn’t care about the duchess, but because I knew what would happen if I did so, number one. And number two, because we cannot be an extension of the Sussexes.”
The ongoing fallout from this dispute has left Prince Harry feeling deeply hurt and uncertain about his future with the charity he once held so close to his heart.