Prince Harry charity Sentebale to be probed by watchdog as bitter row deepens

The charity Prince Harry set up but dramatically quit as patron is to be investigated by the charity watchdog amid "concerns raised" about the organisation. The Charity Commission said it had opened a regulatory compliance case into Sentebale, a week after it emerged Harry had stepped down as patron fuelling a bitter war of words with chairwoman Sophie Chandauka.

The founded the organisation in honour of his mother Diana, in 2006 with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho to help young people and children in southern Africa, particularly those living with HIV and Aids. Last week it emerged that several trustees had left the charity in a dispute with , having requested her resignation, which has sparked a public spat that has also embroiled the Duchess of Sussex.

Today the commission said it had informed Sentebale that it had "opened a regulatory compliance case to examine concerns raised about the charity". This allows the watchdog to "gather evidence and assess the compliance of the charity and trustees past and present with their legal duties" and responsibilities under charity law.

READ MORE:

In response, Harry has broken his silence on the row, speaking for the first time since in shock resignation. In a defiant statement, he 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."

Meanwhile, the 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." Regulatory compliance cases can lead to a range of outcomes including an official warning being given to a charity or a statutory inquiry being opened, which can give the commission additional powers of investigation. It is not the same as a statutory inquiry.

Harry and Prince Seeiso backed the departing trustees and announced they had resigned as patrons of Sentebale last week until further notice. They said their resignations came "with heavy hearts", adding that it was "devastating that the relationship between the charity's trustees and the chair of the board broke down beyond repair, creating an untenable situation".

Dr Chandauka then fired back in her own statement in which she alleged there had been "poor governance, weak executive management, abuse of power, bullying, harassment, misogyny, misogynoir". She also appeared to criticise Harry for going to the press and for what she described as playing "the victim card". A source close to the former trustees and patrons of Sentebale dismissed Ms Chandauka’s comments as a "publicity stunt".

In a new statement today, Dr 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."

This is a breaking news story. Follow us on , , , , or visit homepage.