Earlier this week it was revealed that Prince Harry can be stepping away from his charity Sentebale amid an “unthinkable” controversy inside the organisation.
Now, chair of the corporate, Zimbabwe-born lawyer Dr Sophie Chandauka, has claimed the “origin of the dispute” with Prince Harry ignited in April 2024 after she refused a request by the Duke of Sussex’s crew to publicly defend his spouse Meghan Markle following destructive media protection. In the video beneath, filmed by HELLO! in April final 12 months, Sophie and Meghan seem to have a clumsy change while on stage following a Sentebale charity polo match.
She advised the Monetary Instances: “I mentioned no, we’re setting a precedent by which we turn into an extension of the Sussex PR machine.”
The publication reported that Sophie argued that the “risky public sentiment round Prince Harry” following his relocation to the US in addition to the “media fallout” following the discharge of Spare in 2023 and his Netflix docuseries in 2022 “had an impression on the charity’s potential to diversify” and make senior hires.
© PA Pictures through Getty PicturesShe added: “Once you begin to interview folks, they’re asking questions on, nicely, these combined messages about its patron.”
In the meantime, a supply described as an individual “aware of the trustees model of occasions” mentioned the dispute had nothing to do with private tensions and that there “are actual points at hand that have not been addressed”.
© Getty Pictures for SentebaleThey added that Sophie was requested to rethink her place as chair “on account of their lack of belief and confidence in her as a frontrunner.”
What occurred this week
On Wednesday, it was introduced that Harry and Prince Seeiso – with whom he based the charity in 2006 – can be stepping away from Sentebale.
Harry and Seeiso’s joint assertion learn, partly, mentioned: “With heavy hearts, now we have resigned from our roles as Patrons of the organisation till additional discover, in help of and solidarity with the board of trustees who’ve needed to do the identical.
“It’s devastating that the connection between the charity’s trustees and the chair of the board broke down past restore, creating an untenable state of affairs.”
© Getty Pictures for SentebaleBased on The Instances, it’s understood that the management row is centred round a loss in belief and confidence in chairwoman, Sophie.
Sophie was appointed as chairwoman final 12 months after serving on the board for Senteable o between 2008 and 2014, it’s believed that she took authorized motion in opposition to the trustees after they reportedly questioned whether or not she was finest positioned to chair the board.
Of their assertion, Harry and Prince Seeiso backed the departing trustees, writing: “These trustees acted in one of the best curiosity of the charity in asking the chair to step down, whereas protecting the wellbeing of employees in thoughts. In flip, she sued the charity to stay on this voluntary place, additional underscoring the damaged relationship.”
They added: “What’s transpired is unthinkable. We’re in shock that now we have to do that, however now we have a continued accountability to Sentebale’s beneficiaries, so we might be sharing all of our considerations with the Charity Fee as to how this happened.”
Former trustees Timothy Boucher, Mark Dyer, Audrey Kgosidintsi, Dr Kelello Lerotholi, and Damian West additionally launched a press release calling their choice to resign “devastating” however that it was the “results of our loss in belief and confidence within the chair of the board”.
Responding to the assertion, Sophie mentioned she reported the trustees to the UK Charity Fee and had “blown the whistle” about points together with abuse of energy, bullying, sexism and racism.
To learn our full explainer on the ordeal click on right here.
