Prince Harry has been criticised by the Charity Commission for letting a "damaging" boardroom battle play out in the "public eye" and harm the reputation of a good cause co-founded by himself.
The charity regulator investigated Sentebale after founders - the Duke of Sussex and Prince Seeiso - stepped down as its patrons in support of a group of trustees, who resigned following a dispute with board of trustees chairwoman Dr Sophie Chandauka.
The watchdog criticised all parties in the fallout for allowing it to play out publicly and described how all trustees contributed to a "missed opportunity" to resolve the issues that that led to the serious disagreement that risked undermining public trust in charities generally.
What was the controversy?
Sentebale’s chair Dr Sophie Chandauka publicly accused Prince Harry of harassment and bullying after he resigned with co-founder Prince Seeiso.
The fallout came after Sentebale's trustees sought in 2023 to introduce a new fundraising strategy, with the dispute arising between Dr Chandauka and some of the trustees and Harry, said the regulator.
A war of words followed the resignations with Harry and Seeiso issuing a joint statement in March, describing their decision as "unthinkable", adding the trustees "acted in the best interest of the charity in asking the chair to step down" while "in turn, she sued the charity to remain in this voluntary position, further underscoring the broken relationship."
Dr Chandauka hit back in a television interview accusing the Duke of being "involved" in a "cover-up" of an investigation about bullying, harassment and misogyny at the organisation and said the "toxicity" of his brand had impacted the charity which had seen a drop in donors since Harry moved to the US.
Dr Chandauka said: “The unexpected adverse media campaign that was launched by those who resigned on 24 March 2025 has caused incalculable damage and offers a glimpse of the unacceptable behaviours displayed in private.”
Harry's spokesperson attacked the findings, saying the report "falls troublingly short in many regards, primarily the fact that the consequences of the current chair's actions will not be borne by her - but by the children who rely on Sentebale's support."
What were the key findings?
The regulator criticised all parties
The regulator has criticised all parties involved in the dispute for allowing it to play out publicly.
The Charity Commission report said: “The then trustees’ failure to resolve disputes internally severely impacted the charity’s reputation and risked undermining public trust in charities more generally.
“It was not satisfied that public statements made to the media and public criticism made in television interviews, were conducted in a way that served the charity’s best interests.”
No findings of bullying or harassment
The investigation found no widespread or systemic bullying or harassment, including misogyny or misogynoir at the charity.
The Commission has acknowledged the strong perception of ill treatment felt by a number of parties to the dispute and the impact this may have had on them personally.
Issues with delegations of powers to the chair
The Commission raised concerns about the delegation of certain powers to the chair, including consideration of an ‘executive chair’ role, deeming it a confusing, convoluted and poorly governed process, with a lack of clearly defined delegations over time.
Administrative failures and mismanagement within the charity
The then trustees failed to have proper processes and policies in place to investigate internal complaints.
More generally, a lack of clear policies contributed to the failure to resolve disputes.
What next?
The Charity Commission has issued a Regulatory Action Plan setting out steps the current trustees need to take, including to implement an internal dispute policy, improve the charity’s complaints and whistleblowing procedures, and establish clearer processes for delegating authority on behalf of the charity.
The regulator will monitor the charity’s progress against the Regulatory Action Plan.
The plan sets out the importance of the trustees securing sufficient funding to enable the charity to deliver for its beneficiaries.
The regulator urged trustees of all charities not to lose sight of their charity’s best interests and the important work they do for those in need when disagreements or tensions arise.
David Holdsworth, Chief Executive of the Charity Commission, said: “Passion for a cause is the bedrock of volunteering and charity, delivering positive impact for millions of people here at home and abroad every day.
“However, in the rare cases when things go wrong, it is often because that very passion has become a weakness rather than a strength.
“This case highlights what can happen when there are gaps in governance and policies critical to charities’ ability to deliver for their cause.”
