Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, is reportedly furious over the involvement of his late mother, Princess Diana, in an escalating dispute surrounding the Sentebale charity he co-founded nearly two decades ago.
Harry and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, who established Sentebale in 2006 to support vulnerable children in southern Africa, both recently stepped down from the charity. Their departures were followed by serious claims from board chairwoman Dr. Sophie Chandauka, who alleged a toxic culture of bullying and racism within the organization.
However, an official investigation into the allegations found no evidence to support the claims, and the UK Charity Commission ultimately concluded the accusations were baseless.
What has drawn Prince Harry’s anger even more, sources say, is Chandauka’s decision to invoke the names of Princess Diana and Queen ‘Mamohato’—Prince Seeiso’s late mother—in her public response to the controversy.
“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,’” Chandauka said following the release of the probe’s findings.
According to The Daily Beast, insiders close to Harry believe Chandauka’s statement was a calculated move to shift focus. A friend of the Duke told the outlet, “It is disgusting that Sophie Chandauka has invoked their mothers, Princess Diana and Queen ‘Mamohato,’ using their names and legacies against their sons. It is appalling.”
The source continued, “In the 19 years since Harry and Seeiso set up the charity, it has helped over 100,000 children. In the short time that Sophie Chandauka has been in charge, she has dragged the charity into the mud.”
The friend further accused Chandauka of damaging the organization’s reputation, adding, “She has tanked it. Now the Charity Commission has found her claims of racism and misogyny to be baseless. They are false.”
In a separate report, DailyMail revealed that Prince Harry has been privately expressing his outrage over what he allegedly views as a “hostile takeover” of Sentebale. The outlet reported that the Duke has spent hours on the phone with supporters, voicing his concerns about the direction the charity is now heading.
The dispute has cast a shadow over one of Harry’s most enduring philanthropic efforts. Once a symbol of his late mother’s legacy, Sentebale is now mired in controversy, with its future uncertain and emotions running high on all sides.