A letter at the centre of Prince Harry's escalating dispute with the African charity he helped establish has unveiled stark allegations of a profound 'breakdown' in relationships and months of 'significant issues' plaguing the organisation. Legal proceedings have now been initiated against the Duke of Sussex concerning Sentebale, which he co-founded in 2006 to honour his late mother, Princess Diana, by supporting young people affected by HIV and AIDS in Lesotho and Botswana.
Trustees' Mass Resignation and Allegations
Prince Harry dramatically resigned from the charity's board last year following a bitter public feud with chairwoman Sophie Chandauka, whose leadership he labelled as 'untenable'. Last week, it emerged that Sentebale had filed a High Court lawsuit for libel and slander against Harry and his friend, former royal equerry Mark Dyer. The newly revealed letter, penned by former trustees, details claims of intense tension within the charity, accusing Ms Chandauka of intimidation and misconduct.
The letter was signed by Mr Dyer and five other trustees after their mass resignations in March 2025. They stated that they unanimously quit their positions after raising 'significant concerns' over Ms Chandauka's conduct. Explaining that their decisions were 'not sudden' but resulted from sustained difficulties, the letter further alleged a 'breakdown' in relationships among staff and accused Ms Chandauka of attempting to manipulate board minutes.
Legal Battles and Leadership Crisis
Referring to Ms Chandauka's pursuit of a High Court injunction to block a board meeting against her, the letter, seen by The Times, read: 'There can be no more damning evidence of your failure to act as a leader capable of putting the charity's best interests first.' It warned that this internal attack 'threatens to destroy Sentebale for good,' describing the situation as 'untenable' and predicting 'irreparable damage' to the charity.
Sentebale, meaning 'forget-me-not' in the language of Lesotho, has faced a funding crisis since Harry's departure a year ago. The row with Ms Chandauka began in 2024 when the board challenged her over a £400,000 bill for consultants they said had yielded little return. She was asked to step down but instead complained to the Charity Commission, alleging bullying, misogyny, and racism. She accused the duke of trying to 'eject' her through 'bullying' and 'harassment', which he denies.
A probe found no evidence of bullying but criticised weak governance and all parties for allowing the internal dispute to become public. In March 2025, the trustees resigned en masse, blaming Ms Chandauka's alleged 'almost dictatorial' leadership. Harry and his co-founder, Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, resigned as patrons, calling the situation 'untenable'.
Charity's Response and Financial Struggles
In a message issued by Sentebale's Board of Trustees and Executive Director, the charity claimed it had been subject to a 'coordinated adverse media campaign' since March 25 last year. Sentebale said this caused 'operational disruption and reputational harm to the charity, its leadership, and its strategic partners' and triggered 'an onslaught of cyber-bullying'. The campaign supposedly involved circulating 'false narratives' through the media and undermining relationships with staff and partners.
Sentebale stated it decided to take legal action to protect its operations and partnerships, adding that the 'costs of doing so are met entirely by external funding and no charitable funds have been used'. Responding to allegations in the letter, the charity said: 'This matter is subject to active legal proceedings. It would therefore be inappropriate to comment on any aspect or share documents that are not in the public domain.'
The Duke of Sussex has strongly rejected the claims, calling them 'offensive and damaging'. Meanwhile, the charity has slashed staff in the UK and Botswana to save £1 million. In August last year, four of five employees in the London office were made redundant, including the global head of finance and compliance. Sources claim one in five staff in Botswana were also laid off, with fears of a 'significant cash flow problem'.
Published accounts show Sentebale nearly exhausted its reserves as the row deepened in 2024. Monthly income fell by a quarter, and cash in the bank dropped from £1.5 million to £207,000 by December 2024. The March 2025 letter warned that without replacements, trustees would consider 'options for the charity's closure and transferral of its remaining assets to another charity with similar aims'.
