The Charity Commission for England and Wales rebuked all parties involved in the governance crisis at Sentebale, the HIV-focused organisation co-founded by Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, AP News reported.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Chief Executive David Holdsworth condemned the public airing of internal disputes, warning it had “jeopardised the charity’s ability to deliver for the very beneficiaries it was created to serve” while overshadowing its humanitarian achievements.
The regulator confirmed its review uncovered no evidence substantiating claims of widespread bullying or misogyny within Sentebale, which supports youth living with HIV across Botswana and Lesotho. This follows April’s investigation launch after both princes and multiple trustees resigned, citing irreparable breakdowns with Chair Sophie Chandauka, who subsequently accused Prince Harry of orchestrating a campaign to oust her.
Disagreements reportedly surfaced in 2023 when trustees proposed expanding US fundraising operations. Tensions culminated in February 2025 with formal complaints to the Commission, before erupting publicly in March when Prince Harry resigned as patron to support the trustees who had resigned. His departure stripped Sentebale of significant celebrity leverage for donor engagement.
Chandauka welcomed the Commission’s findings, asserting they validated her governance concerns.
“The unexpected adverse media campaign launched by those who resigned on 24 March 2025 has caused incalculable damage and offers a glimpse of the unacceptable behaviours displayed in private,” she stated.
Meanwhile, Holdsworth emphasized that “Sentebale’s problems played out in the public eye, enabling a damaging dispute to harm the charity’s reputation,” condemning both factions’ conduct.
Prince Harry’s spokesperson issued a scathing response, declaring the report “falls troublingly short in many regards, primarily the fact that the consequences of the current chair’s actions will not be borne by her—but by the children who rely on Sentebale’s support.”
The spokesperson confirmed Harry would pursue alternative channels to aid southern African youth, effectively severing ties with the charity he established in 2006 to honour his late mother, Princess Diana, and Prince Seeiso’s mother, Queen Mamohato.
The Commission’s intervention highlights persistent governance challenges despite Sentebale’s humanitarian impact. Founded to provide psychosocial support and medical care to HIV-affected children, the organisation now faces rebuilding donor trust after months of public acrimony between its most prominent benefactor and leadership.
