Prince Harry Hopes Probe Into Charity He Co-Founded Will ‘Unveil the Truth’
Sentebale, the charity that Prince Harry cofounded in 2006 with Lesotho’s Prince Seeiso to help children in southern Africa, will now be subject to a government probe by the U.K.’s Charity Commission. Both co-founding princes resigned on March 26 citing irreconcilable differences with Dr. Sophie Chandauka, the organization’s chairperson. Other trustees stepped down from their roles, as well.
The Charity Commission’s goal is “to determine whether the charity’s current and former trustees, including its chair, have fulfilled their duties and responsibilities under charity law.”
Harry released a statement welcoming an inquest into the organization he co-founded in honor of his late mother, Diana. “On behalf of the former trustees and patrons, we share in the relief that the Charity Commission confirmed they will be conducting a robust inquiry,” he said, according to People. “We fully expect it will unveil the truth that collectively forced us to resign. 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.”
He also expressed distress with the current state of the organization. “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 goal,” he said. “No one suffers more than the beneficiaries of Sentebale itself.”
Dr. Chandauka also declared herself pro-probe, saying she had reported “various governance, administration, and management matters” to regulators in February. “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,” she said in a statement on the organization’s website.
People cite anonymous sources who allege Dr. Chandauka placed financial strains on the organization, leading to a rift with its founders. Dr. Chandauka, meanwhile, alleged in a Sky News interview that Prince Harry’s Netflix deal conflicted with a fundraiser for Sentebale and hinted at discord with Prince Harry’s wife, Meghan Markle, according to The Associated Press.
