Prince Harry Faces New Challenges: Bullying Allegations at African Charity

PRINCE HARRY'S CHARITY EMPIRE ROCKED BY BULLYING ALLEGATIONS: A TALE OF POWER, PIVOTAL PLAYERS, AND PUBLIC OUTRAGE

In a shocking turn of events, Prince Harry's charitable organization, Sentebale, has been embroiled in a bitter dispute that threatens to destroy the reputation of one of the world's most beloved royal figures. The African charity, which was established by the Duke of Sussex and his friend, Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, in 2006, is at the center of allegations of bullying, misogyny, and maladministration.

According to sources close to the investigation, the Charity Commission was forced to intervene after a series of explosive claims emerged from within Sentebale's own boardroom. The regulator, which oversees charities in England and Wales, launched an investigation into the dispute between Prince Harry and his former colleagues on the charity's board of trustees.

The allegations, which have been described as "damaging" and "severe," center around a heated battle for control of the charity. At the heart of the controversy is Dr. Sophie Chandauka, the current chair of Sentebale, who has accused Prince Harry of waging a campaign of bullying against her. In a scathing statement, Dr. Chandauka alleged that the Duke of Sussex had engaged in "bullying at scale" and had created a toxic environment within the charity.

However, Prince Harry's camp has vehemently denied these claims, branding them as "falsehoods." A spokesman for the prince declared that the Charity Commission's findings were a "win" for Sentebale and that the regulator had found no evidence of widespread bullying or harassment.

But the drama doesn't end there. The Charity Commission's investigation also revealed a shocking failure on the part of the charity's trustees to resolve conflicts internally. This, according to the regulator, has "severely impacted the charity's reputation" and risked undermining public trust in charities as a whole.

In a bizarre twist, Sentebale's former board of trustees – many of whom are friends and supporters of Prince Harry – have issued a stinging rebuke to the Charity Commission for its handling of the investigation. In a statement that has left many scratching their heads, the former trustees accused the regulator of ignoring "key concerns" and "irrefutable evidence" that they had raised about the leadership and oversight of Dr. Chandauka.

The fallout from this scandal is still unfolding, with both sides continuing to trade barbs and accusations. The current board of trustees has vowed to move forward with confidence, while the former board remains defiant in its claims of bullying and maladministration.

As the situation continues to simmer, one thing is clear: Sentebale's reputation has been irreparably damaged by this very public and very messy battle for control. Will Prince Harry's charitable empire be able to recover from this blow? Only time will tell.

A TIMELINE OF EVENTS

• 2006: Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho establish Sentebale, a charity dedicated to helping disadvantaged young people in Lesotho and Botswana.
• 2023: A bitter dispute erupts between Prince Harry and the charity's board of trustees, with allegations of bullying, misogyny, and maladministration emerging.
• March 2023: The current chair, Dr. Sophie Chandauka, accuses Prince Harry of waging a campaign of bullying against her.
• April 2023: The Charity Commission launches an investigation into the dispute between Prince Harry and the charity's board of trustees.
• May 2023: The regulator finds no evidence of widespread bullying or harassment but criticizes all parties involved for their handling of the situation.

WHAT'S NEXT?

As the drama continues to unfold, one thing is clear: Sentebale's reputation has been severely damaged by this very public and very messy battle for control. Will Prince Harry's charitable empire be able to recover from this blow? Only time will tell.

According to sources close to the investigation, a decision on whether to proceed with further action against Prince Harry will be taken by the Sentebale trustees and executive management. However, their focus for now is on delivering help to clients, despite the controversy surrounding them.

A source told The Scholarly Note that "a decision on whether to proceed would be taken by the Sentebale trustees and executive management, although their focus for now was on delivering help to clients."

However, this drew a scathing response from sources close to the original board of trustees – many of whom are Harry's friends and supporters – who said it was "provocative" and 'pitiful' to 'rehash unsubstantiated allegations of bullying, misogyny and more, which the Commission found no evidence of'.

The former board of trustees also issued a stinging statement rebuking the Charity Commission for choosing to 'ignore key concerns and irrefutable evidence' which they raised over the 'leadership and oversight' of Sentebale's chair.

Sentebale, which has refuted the claims, said it welcomes the conclusion of the compliance case and the issuing of an action plan for the charity moving forward. It said it looked forward to a future 'free from interference' with confidence.

The regulator had been asked to investigate a dispute between the prince and its board of trustees on one side and Dr Chandauka on the other.

Harry set up Sentebale with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho in 2006 to work with disadvantaged young people in Lesotho and Botswana, with both men honouring their late mothers.