Prince Harry left his Sentebale charity following a dispute – described as a “hostile takeover” – and a report into this has been published by the Charity Commission
Prince Harry is furious by the events surrounding the boardroom battle that saw him leave his Sentebale charity, it is understood.
The Duke of Sussex, 40, has reportedly spent hours on the phone ranting to supporters late into the night since the report into the dispute was published this week. It is believed in these conversations, Harry raged about the “hostile takeover” of his “life’s work,” which led to him stepping down as patron of the charity.
There is concern Sentebale, which the Duke and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho founded in 2006 to support children impacted by HIV and Aids, may not survive the fallout over its governance, which first became public in March. It comes as speculation grows Harry and Meghan Markle may return to the royal fold.
Writing in relation to the Sentebale row, Rebecca English, a royal journalist, said: “Harry, I am told, is ‘utterly devastated’, spending hours on the phone from California to supporters late into the night raging about a ‘hostile takeover’ of his ‘life’s work’.”
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Ms English, the Daily Mail’s royal editor, has revealed the Duke’s fury at the row, nearly 20 years after she and other reporters were shown around a dusty wasteland set to become Sentebale’s first base in Lesotho.
But recently, the board chairwoman Dr Sophie Chandauka had accused the charity of bullying, harassment and misogyny – allegations the commission found no evidence of – and a bitter fallout became public.
“One source close to the prince told me yesterday there was ‘no way in hell’ he would ever work with Sentebale again – ‘or at least not while Sophie Chandauka and her new stool pigeons [new trustees] were in place,” Ms English continued.
The dispute has been described this week as a “hostile takeover”. However, the Charity Commission 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 led to the serious disagreement that risked undermining public trust in charities generally.
The watchdog found no evidence of systemic bullying or harassment, including misogyny or misogynoir at the charity but acknowledged “the strong perception of ill treatment” felt by some involved.
Yet a source said: “This has been emotionally absolutely devastating for Prince Harry and (Sentebale co-founder) Prince Seeiso (of Lesotho). What’s been perpetrated over the last few months is nothing short of a hostile takeover.”
Seeiso also stepped down as patron of the charity, which works in Botswana and Lesotho supporting the health and wellbeing of young people, especially those with HIV and Aids.
