Prince Harry's African Charity Faces Probe Amid 'Bullying' Scandal After Duke Slammed 'Blatant Lies'

Prince Harry's feud with Sentebale chair Dr. Sophie Chandauka is set to take a new turn as the UK Charity Commission launches a compliance review into the charity.

This follows the Duke of Sussexes resignation, citing a breakdown with the chairwoman, who has welcomed the investigation and emphasized efforts for better governance.

Dr. Sophie Chandauka also criticized Prince Harry for attempting to remove her and described Sentebale as a "vanity project."

The British royal accused the chair of his charity, Dr. Chandauka, of spreading "blatant lies" as the UK's charity regulator launched an investigation into the charity.

The Charity Commission's compliance review comes just one week after Harry resigned as patron of Sentebale and called for Dr. Chandauka to step down.

In response, Dr. Chandauka has taken legal action to retain her role and raised her concerns with the Commission.

The Charity Commission confirmed today that it notified Sentebale the previous day about opening a regulatory compliance case to address concerns surrounding the charity.

According to the Daily Mail, both Dr. Chandauka and Harry have expressed support for the investigation into the organization.

While distinct from a full statutory inquiry, the compliance review will allow the Commission to gather evidence and assess whether the charity and its trustees, past and present, have fulfilled their legal duties and responsibilities under charity law.

In a statement released to the news outlet on her behalf, Dr. Chandauka expressed her support for the Charity Commission's decision.

She stated: "I welcome the Charity Commission's decision to proceed with a regulatory compliance case to consider the various governance, administration and management matters I first reported in February 2025."

The Oxford-educated Zimbabwean lawyer added: "For completeness, I should mention that we initiated an internal governance review last year, the findings of which we will share with the Charity Commission."

Dr. Chandauka emphasized that "these actions will give the general public, our colleagues, partners, supporters, donors, and the communities we serve comfort that Sentebale and its new Board of Trustees are acting appropriately to demonstrate and ensure good governance and a healthy culture for Sentebale to thrive."

She reassured that the charity's Executive team and operational staff remain focused on the daily activities of the organization, continuing its mission to support its communities.

Dr. Chandauka concluded by expressing gratitude for the patience and unwavering support Sentebale has received from current and potential partners, and she looks forward to collaborating as the charity moves toward a more "ambitious future."

The ongoing investigation into Sentebale follows Harry's resignation from the charity he founded in 2006 in honor of his mother, Princess Diana.

In a letter, he cited an irreparable breakdown in his relationship with the chairwoman, a situation he said left him "truly heartbroken."

The Duke of Sussex hinted at the boardroom dispute at Sentebale, expressing his disappointment at the situation.

"What has transpired over the last week has been heartbreaking to witness, especially when such blatant lies hurt those who have invested decades in this shared mission. No one suffers more than the beneficiaries of Sentebale itself," Harry said.

He reaffirmed the core mission of the charity, explaining: "From the inception of Sentebale nearly 20 years ago, Prince Seeiso and I have had a clear goal: to support the children and young people in Southern Africa in memory of our mothers."

In a statement on behalf of former trustees and patrons, Harry expressed relief that the Charity Commission had confirmed a thorough inquiry into the matter.

The Prince said, "We fully expect it will unveil the truth that collectively forced us to resign."

Harry concluded with optimism, hoping the inquiry would facilitate a leadership change that would better serve the charity's mission,

He added, "We remain hopeful this will allow for the charity to be put in the right hands immediately for the sake of the communities we serve."

Since Harry's resignation, Dr. Chandauka has labeled the Sussexes' brand as "toxic" and accused the Duke of engaging in "harassment and bullying at scale," a claim that has been firmly denied.

She described Sentebale as a "vanity project" for Harry, positioning herself as a whistle-blower while accusing the organization of "poor governance, weak executive management, abuse of power, bullying, harassment, misogyny, misogynoir and the cover-up that ensued."

Dr. Chandauka further asserted that Harry had been attempting to remove her from the organization for months, stating, "Really, what Prince Harry wanted to do was to eject me from the organisation and this went on for months. I have documentation."

The Zimbabwean lawyer also shed light on a dispute regarding a Miami polo event held last April to raise funds for Sentebale.

Dr. Chandauka claimed the event was disrupted by Harry's insistence on bringing a Netflix film crew to film scenes for his documentary on polo, which she believed led to the charity losing the venue.

Sources close to Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, have since countered Dr. Chandauka's claims, saying her account of the debacle surrounding last year's polo match in Miami was "highly misleading."

They also stated that the original venue had already changed its terms, which resulted in the rise in cost contrary to the Netflix angle being pushed by the Sentebale chair.