Prince Harry, once heralded as a champion of charitable causes, has found himself at the center of yet another scandal—this time accused of “harassment and bullying” by the head of the very charity he co-founded. Dr. Sophie Chandauka, the chairwoman of Sentebale, has spoken out against the prince, labeling his behavior “toxic” and holding him responsible for the chaos now engulfing the organization.
The Duke of Sussex, 40, and his co-founder, Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, abruptly resigned from Sentebale along with all five trustees rather than continue working with Chandauka. The charity, which Harry helped establish in 2006 to aid young people affected by AIDS in southern Africa, is now in turmoil.
Following Harry’s dramatic exit, Chandauka accused the prince of “unleashing” his powerful PR machine against her. Speaking to Sky News, she expressed outrage over how Harry handled the situation.
“The only reason I’m here is because Prince Harry authorized the release of damaging news without informing me, my country directors, or my executive director,” she said. “Can you imagine what that attack has done to me and to the 540 individuals in Sentebale?”
Her claims paint an unflattering picture of the self-exiled royal, who has spent the past few years engaging in public grievances against his family while pushing his own media ventures. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex—who have built a reputation for playing the victim while wielding significant media influence—have remained silent on the accusations. Requests for comment to their Archewell foundation, Sentebale, and Meghan Markle’s As Ever website went unanswered.
Chandauka claims that Harry attempted to “eject” her from the charity and even demanded that Sentebale publicly support Meghan Markle after a polo fundraiser she organized “went badly.”
“I said I wouldn’t,” Chandauka explained. “Not because I didn’t care about the duchess, but because we cannot be an extension of the Sussexes.”
It appears that many others share her concerns. She revealed that numerous corporate sponsors walked away from Sentebale around the same time Harry and Meghan abandoned the UK. When she inquired why, she was told it was “an uncomfortable conversation to have with Prince Harry in the room.”
A source close to the former trustees dismissed Chandauka’s accusations as “completely baseless” and said they had expected her to stage a “publicity stunt.” However, the scandal has now drawn the attention of the UK Charity Commission, which has confirmed it is assessing governance concerns at Sentebale.
This latest fiasco only adds to the growing pattern of dysfunction surrounding Harry and Meghan’s ventures. Once respected as a royal who put duty first, Harry has increasingly alienated allies, abandoned responsibilities, and left a trail of controversy. While he and Meghan continue to paint themselves as misunderstood victims, the reality appears to be quite the opposite.
Now, with Sentebale in crisis, Harry’s “brand”—which Chandauka has bluntly labeled “toxic”—is once again under scrutiny. The question remains: how much longer will the world continue to tolerate the Sussexes’ trail of turmoil?
