Prince Harry has definitively turned his back on the African HIV/AIDS charity he helped establish, with sources stating the organisation is now too "tarnished" for his return. The dramatic fallout from a public feud with the charity's chair has plunged Sentebale into a severe funding crisis, triggering mass redundancies and casting doubt on its future operations.
A Public Feud and a Damaging Exodus
The crisis began in earnest in 2024 when a bitter dispute erupted between the Duke of Sussex and Sentebale's chair, Sophie Chandauka. The row centred on a contentious £400,000 consultancy bill that board members felt had yielded little return. When the board asked Mrs Chandauka to step down, she retaliated with a formal complaint to the Charity Commission, accusing Prince Harry of bullying, racism, and misogyny – allegations he denied.
This public airing of grievances proved catastrophic. Trustees resigned en masse, describing Chandauka's management style as "almost dictatorial." In March 2024, Prince Harry and his co-founder, Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, resigned as patrons, labelling the situation "untenable." The Charity Commission later condemned both parties for allowing the feud to play out publicly, stating it had "severely impacted the charity's reputation."
Financial Freefall and Global Redundancies
The reputational damage had an immediate and devastating financial impact. Donations dried up as the scandal dominated headlines. This compounded the existing financial strain caused by the ending of its biggest fundraiser, the Sentabale Polo Cup, two years prior – an event that had raised £740,000 annually.
Published accounts reveal the charity's reserves plummeted to a perilous low. By December 2024, with debts accounted for, Sentebale had just £207,000 in the bank, down from £1.5 million sixteen months earlier. The charity admitted this was "close to [the] minimum reserves level."
In a desperate bid to reduce costs by £1 million, sweeping redundancies were implemented worldwide. In Botswana, one in five employees were cut, including country director Ketlogetswe Montshiwa. In London, all but one staff member were laid off in August. Sources in Botswana reported the charity was "not working at all" and faced a "real cash flow problem," with Lesotho operations "getting into the red." Local reports suggested the Lesotho headquarters had been "effectively mothballed," though the charity denies this, insisting the centre remains operational.
An Uncertain Future for a Royal Legacy
Despite the turmoil, the charity's leadership insists on a path forward. Following an audit in September, Sentebale stated it is "financially stable and able to continue operating as planned," with robust strategies for 2025 and 2026. It claimed the Botswana redundancies were planned before the troubles began in 2023 and were approved with "full country director participation."
However, the annual accounts present a stark warning: programmes will shrink by the end of 2026 if new funding is not secured. The charity aims to serve 78,000 children and young people across Lesotho and Botswana in 2025, matching its 2024 impact, but this goal now hangs in the balance.
For Prince Harry, the chapter appears closed. Sources close to Sentebale told The Times, "The idea that Harry was ever going to return has been completely extinguished. There's absolutely no way now. It's all too tarnished." The legacy of Princess Diana, in whose memory the charity was founded, now faces an uncertain future amidst the ruins of a very public royal rift.
