Prince Harry Speaks Out Following "Bullying" Accusations in Sentebale Charity Commission Probe
The Duke of Sussex issued a statement after no evidence of "widespread or systemic bullying or harassment" was found.
The U.K. Charity Commission has completed its inquiry into Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho's former charity, Sentebale, after its chair of trustees, Dr. Sophie Chandauka, made some shocking claims of harassment and bullying earlier this year. The founding patrons' names were cleared in the resulting report—but according to a source, the royals won't be returning to work with the organization anytime soon.
In 2006, Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso joined together to create a charity in honor of their late mothers, Princess Diana and Queen 'Mamohato. Dubbed Sentebale—or "forget me not" in Sesotho—the organization helps young people in Southern Africa who have been impacted by HIV/AIDS and poverty. But in March 2025, the princes stepped down from the charity they founded after Chandauka made accusations of bullying, poor governance, misogyny and misogynoir within the organization.
In April, Prince Harry called the chair's claims "blatant lies," and expressed his "relief" that the Charity Commission was stepping in to conduct a full inquiry. On August 5, the results of the commission's probe were released—and according to the report, there was no evidence of "widespread or systemic bullying or harassment, including misogyny or misogynoir at the charity."
Prince Harry is seen with Alix Lebec, founder and CEO of Lebec (left) and Sophie Chandauka, Chair of Sentebale (right) during a Sentebale panel in 2024.
The Charity Commission also found no signs of "over-reach" by either Chandauka or the Duke of Sussex.
A spokesperson for the duke responded to the findings, claiming that although no evidence of bullying or harassment was found, the "report falls troublingly short in many regards." The statement continued 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."
A source close to the charity told People that the Duke of Sussex and Prince Seeiso were both "devastated," calling the situation "what has effectively been a hostile takeover by Sophie Chandauka." The outlet added that the two "see no way back to the charity while Chanduka is in place."
Prince Harry is seen during a 2024 trip to Lesotho.
"This was Prince Seeiso and Prince Harry’s life work," the insider continued. "They established it 19 years ago and in that time put in blood, sweat and tears and their own money into building this charity up to what it was: a multi-million pound charity that delivered nothing but good for the beneficiary community that is supported in Lesotho and Botswana."
As for Chandauka, she released a statement reading, "I appreciate the Charity Commission for its conclusions, which confirm the governance concerns I raised privately in February 2025. The experience was intense, and it became a test of our strategic clarity and operational resilience."
The Charity Commission put blame on both sides, stating, "Sentebale’s problems played out in the public eye, enabling a damaging dispute to harm the charity’s reputation, risk overshadowing its many achievements, and jeopardising the charity’s ability to deliver for the very beneficiaries it was created to serve."
