Prince Harry releases urgent statement on ‘heartbreaking’ public fallout

The Duke of Sussex said the fallout of his resignation as patron of Sentebale has been “heartbreaking to witness” and that he hoped the Charity Commission would “unveil the truth that collectively forced us to resign”.

It comes after the Charity Commission said it has opened a case into “concerns raised” about the Sentebale charity, which Prince Harry quit as patron of last week amid a boardroom battle.

In his full statement, the Duke said: “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.

“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.

“No one suffers more than the beneficiaries of Sentebale itself.

“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.

“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.”

Why Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso resigned from Sentebale

Harry and Prince Seeiso announced their resignation in a joint statement last week, citing a leadership breakdown as the reason behind the decision.

The statement read, in part: “With heavy hearts, we have resigned from our roles as Patrons of the organisation until further notice, in support of and solidarity with the board of trustees who have had to do the same.

 “It is devastating that the relationship between the charity’s trustees and the chair of the board broke down beyond repair, creating an untenable situation.”

According to The Times, it is understood that the row is centred around a loss in trust and confidence in chairwoman, Zimbabwe-born lawyer Dr Sophie Chandauka.

Dr Chandauka has since spoken out, appearing on Sky News’s Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips’ programme, where she accused Harry of trying to “eject” her from the organisation through “bullying” and “harassment”.

She also claimed that the Duke allegedly sent her an “unpleasant” and “imperious” message after she refused to issue a statement defending his wife, The Telegraph reported on Monday.

Harry allegedly contacted the chairwoman directly following an awkward exchange she had with the Duchess of Sussex at a charity polo match in Miami last April.

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Dr Chandauka’s response to the case

Sentebale board chairwoman Sophie Chandauka said she welcomes the case being opened by the Charity Commission and hopes the outcome can “comfort” the public that the charity and its new trustees are “acting appropriately”.

She said: “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.

“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.

“We hope that, together, 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.

“In the meantime, our exceptional executive team and operational staff remain focused on the day-to-day operations of the charity, ensuring continuity in our work and mission delivery.

“We appreciate the patience, understanding and tremendous support we have received from our existing and prospective partners and supporters, and look forward to continuing to work together with you as we recalibrate for an ambitious future.”

Charity Commission’s statement

The Charity Commission said: “The regulator for charities in England and Wales has opened a regulatory compliance case to examine concerns raised about the charity Sentebale.

“The Charity Commission is now in direct contact with parties who have raised concerns to gather evidence and assess the compliance of the charity and trustees past and present with their legal duties.

“The regulator’s focus, in line with its statutory remit, will be to determine whether the charity’s current and former trustees, including its chair, have fulfilled their duties and responsibilities under charity law. The Commission is not an adjudicator or mediator and is guided by the principle of ensuring trustees fulfil their primary duty to their charitable purpose and beneficiaries.

“After a period of assessing the initial concerns raised with the Commission, the regulator informed the charity on 2 April 2025 it has opened a regulatory compliance case. The regulator has not made any findings at this time.”