Harry, the chair of the charity, has labeled the prince's brand as 'toxic.'

Dr. Sophie Chandauka, chair of Sentebale—a charity co-founded by Prince Harry—has criticized the prince's brand as "toxic," asserting that it has negatively impacted the organization after both he and several others left earlier this week.

In an interview with the Financial Times, Dr. Chandauka revealed that she sensed issues with Prince Harry as far back as a year ago. In a separate conversation with Sky News, she described the manner in which the duke exited the charity, which was established in 2006 in honor of his mother Diana to support those in southern Africa living with HIV and AIDS, as indicative of "harassment and bullying at scale." A source close to the former trustees and patrons expressed that they anticipated such a "publicity stunt.

" The source emphasized that the former members "remain firm in their resignation, for the good of the charity, and look forward to the adjudication of the truth." BBC News has reached out to Sentebale for comment. Prince Harry stated that he and co-founder Prince Seeiso of Lesotho chose to step down due to a breakdown in the relationship between the charity's trustees and Dr. Chandauka that was "beyond repair." Dr. Chandauka, however, defended her record as chair, arguing that "the number-one risk for this organization was the toxicity of its lead patron's brand." She also accused Prince Harry of aiming "to force a failure and then come to the rescue," adding that the Sentebale team remains determined to continue its work, regardless of his involvement. She highlighted that the various controversies surrounding Prince Harry since his move to the US have impeded the charity's ability to attract a diverse donor base and hire new staff. "When you start to interview people, they're asking questions about these mixed messages around the patron," she explained.

Additionally, Dr. Chandauka alleged that Prince Harry's team requested her to defend his wife, Meghan, against negative media coverage, to which she replied, "No, we're not setting a precedent by becoming an extension of the Sussex PR machine." During her interview with Sky News, Dr. Chandauka criticized how the prince resigned, noting that his decision to release "a damaging piece of news" without informing her or her executive team was concerning. "Imagine what that has done to me and the 540 individuals in the Sentebale organizations and their families.

That is an example of harassment and bullying at scale," she said. Prince Harry founded Sentebale in 2006, and it has played a vital role in his life, making his decision to depart, along with Prince Seeiso, notably significant. In a joint statement, the pair expressed their sorrow over the breakdown of relations between the charity's trustees and its chair, deeming the situation "untenable." They also indicated they would report their concerns to the Charity Commission. Dr. Chandauka claimed to have "blown the whistle" on issues related to abuse of power, bullying, sexism, and racism, asserting that her leadership has been guided by principles of fairness and equitable treatment. She reported the trustees to the UK Charity Commission for their actions.

The charity confirmed a "restructuring" of its board. Former trustees Timothy Boucher, Mark Dyer, Audrey Kgosidintsi, Dr. Kelello Lerotholi, and Damian West expressed that their decision to resign was "devastating" and resulted from a loss of trust in the chair, exacerbated by her legal actions to retain her position. The Charity Commission has acknowledged concerns regarding Sentebale's governance and is currently assessing the situation to determine appropriate regulatory steps.
BBC News