Inside Prince Harry's Sentebale Scandal: Meghan Markle Tensions, Board Fallout, And His Exit

Prince Harry has long been known for his dedication towards humanitarian work, particularly in the continent of Africa. His bond with the people of Lesotho and Botswana had inspired one of his most personal and impactful projects, known as Sentebale. However, in March 2025, nearly 20 years after co-founding the charity with Prince Seeiso, the Duke of Sussex made the shocking decision of walking away from the organisation. His resignation was followed by a high-stakes leadership battle, legal threats, and public allegations of bullying and mismanagement.

What began as a mission rooted in memory and compassion has now become a tied up mess of controversy, which has even prompted an official investigation and raised several serious questions about governance, accountability, and Prince Harry’s role behind the scenes. Here's all you need to know about the scandal that shook Sentebale and what Prince Harry has to say about everything that went down.

Sentebale’s origins, it was a royal vision with a personal purpose

Sentebale means ‘forget-me-not’ in Sesotho. The charity was founded by Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso in memory of their mothers, Princess Diana and Queen 'Mamohato, as a tribute to their much-celebrated humanitarian legacies. The charity focuses on supporting vulnerable children and youth across Lesotho and Botswana, especially those living with HIV/AIDS, by offering them healthcare, education, and life-skills training.

Over nearly two decades, the charity has grown into a respected nonprofit organisation, which raised millions through events like the Sentebale Polo Cup and has gained support from donors worldwide. For Harry, Sentebale wasn’t just another royal cause; it was an extremely personal and close to his heart project. But in early 2025, everything began to unravel.

Prince Harry and the Sentebale fallout: What really happened?

In March 2025, Prince Harry stepped down from Sentebale. His exit marked the end of an emotional and impactful chapter in his life and raised many speculations and questions. The announcement shocked many, not just for its timing, but because this decision was followed by a string of serious allegations, board resignations, and a high-profile investigation by the Charity Commission for England and Wales. At the heart of this scandal was a bitter dispute between Sentebale’s board of trustees and its chairwoman, Dr. Sophie Chandauka.

The Sentebale scandal was caused by a governance breakdown

At the centre of the controversy surrounding Sentebale was Dr. Sophie Chandauka, a former board member who had returned as chairwoman for Sentebale in July 2023. By early 2025, a serious conflict had emerged between her and Sentebale’s board of trustees. There were several serious allegations made against her. According to former trustees, the chairwoman has allegedly overspent over 600,000 USD on consultants without approval. She was accused of being responsible for the collapse of the 2024 Polo Cup, a major fundraising event for the charity. Amidst this all, there was also a clash with key funders, resulting in financial strains for the charity.

Amid growing concerns, the board formally requested Dr. Sophie’s resignation in February 2025. However, instead of stepping down, she filed a legal challenge to stop their vote. Facing legal and reputational risks, the entire board of Sentebale resigned, claiming a complete breakdown in the governance. Dr. Sophie Chandauka responded to this event by filing her own claims, alleging that she was being punished for speaking out about serious internal issues. She accused the board of bullying and harassment, abuse of power and misogyny. Her claims also addressed alleged mismanagement and retaliation for whistleblowing.

Prince Harry’s response to the Sentebale scandal 

In an emotional joint statement, Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso announced their resignations as Sentebale’s patrons in March 2025. The princes expressed solidarity with the outgoing trustees, insisting that they had stepped down to protect Sentebale’s integrity. They also promised to cooperate with the Charity Commission. A source close to Prince Harry described the situation as ‘a hostile takeover’ and claimed the prince was ‘devastated’ by the loss of a project he helped build with his ‘blood, sweat, and tears.’ Their statement read as:

“With heavy hearts, we have resigned from our roles as patrons of the organization until further notice, in support of and solidarity with the board of trustees who have had to do the same.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.”

The Meghan Markle twist to the Sentebale scandal

In a recent turn of events, Dr. Sophie later claimed her relationship with Prince Harry soured after a viral moment in April 2024 at the Royal Salute Polo Challenge. A video where Meghan Markle asked Dr. Sophie to switch positions in a photo op, stepping in front of Prince Harry, had gone viral. The moment fueled online speculation about tension between Meghan and the chairwoman.

According to Dr. Sophie, Harry later urged her to publicly downplay the incident and she had refused. She told the Financial Times that she had said no to setting a precedent by which she would become an extension of the Sussex PR machine. She also claimed that Harry did not inform her or Sentebale leadership before publicly announcing his resignation, calling it ‘harassment and bullying at scale.’

A Charity Commission investigation was held

Following all the resignations, the Charity Commission launched an investigation in April 2025. In August 2025, it released its findings claiming there was no evidence of systemic bullying, harassment, misogyny, or misogynoir. It also claimed no 'overreach' by Prince Harry or Dr. Sophie. However, it was reported that there have been significant governance failings, especially in internal dispute resolution and unclear roles within Sentebale.The Commission further said that the lack of clarity in leadership roles amplified tensions and led to ‘a public breakdown that damaged the charity’s credibility.’ Sentebale has since accepted the recommendations to clarify governance structures and improve how future disputes are going to be handled.

Trustees, Prince Harry and Dr. Sophie Chandauka’s reactions to the findings

The former trustees expressed disappointment in the Commission's decision not to investigate individual allegations, calling it ‘disheartening’ and voiced ‘grave concern’ for Sentebale’s future. Prince Harry’s team said they were not surprised by the outcome but felt the report failed to hold Dr. Sophie accountable. Meanwhile, despite everything, Dr. Sophie said that the vision of Sentebale still remains inspired by its founders, Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso. She could be quoted as saying:

“I appreciate the Charity Commission for its conclusions, which confirm the governance concerns I raised privately in February 2025... The adverse media campaign launched after the trustees resigned has caused incalculable damage...Despite the recent turbulence, we will always be inspired by the vision of our Founders, Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso, who established Sentebale in memory of their precious mothers, Princess Diana and Queen ‘Mamohato.”

The aftermath of the Sentebale scandal

Prince Harry remains publicly disengaged from Sentebale, and Prince Seeiso has also stepped away but maintains private support for Sentebale’s mission. Dr. Sophie is still the chairwoman, and Sentebale is operating with a new board and renewed governance protocols. The Charity Commission has closed the case, but the reputational scars remain unhealed for all that were involved in the scandal.

What does this all mean for Prince Harry?

The Sentebale fallout marks one of the most significant philanthropic setbacks in Prince Harry’s life post-royalty. The charity was a personal passion project for him, deeply connected to his mother’s legacy and his humanitarian work. By walking away, Harry has shown that he prioritises ethical governance and organisational integrity over his personal attachment. But the scandal also highlights the complex realities of modern charity work.

What are your thoughts about the Sentebale Scandal?

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