The chair of Sentebale, the charity co-founded by Prince Harry, has accused him of “harassment and bullying at scale” following a series of resignations from the organisation earlier this week.
Dr Sophie Chandauka, chair of Sentebale, claimed the Duke of Sussex initiated the situation through “the unleashing of the Sussex [PR] machine.”
Speaking to Trevor Phillips on Sky’s Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, she stated:
“The only reason I’m here… is because at some point on Tuesday, Prince Harry authorised the release of a damaging piece of news to the outside world without informing me or my country directors, or my executive director.
“And can you imagine what that attack has done for me, on me and the 540 individuals in the Sentebale organisations and their family?
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“That is an example of harassment and bullying at scale.”
When contacted for a response regarding the interview, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex declined to provide any formal comment.
A source close to the former trustees of Sentebale dismissed Dr Chandauka’s claims as “completely baseless,” denying that she had been bullied or harassed by Prince Harry or that the Sussex PR team had been deployed against her.
The controversy has drawn significant attention, overshadowing even major global figures such as Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, and Rachel Reeves.
The dispute within Sentebale, a charity dedicated to supporting families affected by AIDS in Africa, has not only threatened the organisation’s vital work but also placed the reputations of those involved under intense scrutiny.
Dr Chandauka, a Zimbabwean-born corporate lawyer with an established career advocating for diversity in corporate governance, spoke openly about the breakdown in relations within the charity.
She accused the Duke of Sussex of targeting her and the Sentebale staff, stating in her interview:
“There are people in this world who behave as though they are above the law and mistreat people, and then play the victim card and use the very press they disdain to harm people who have the courage to challenge their conduct.
“Beneath all the victim narrative and fiction that has been syndicated to the press is the story of a woman who dared to blow the whistle about issues of poor governance, weak executive management, abuse of power, bullying, harassment, misogyny, misogynoir – and the cover-up that ensued.”
A source close to the former trustees countered her accusations, reiterating that her claims were without merit.
They stated that the relationship “broke down beyond repair, creating an untenable situation.”
The underlying issues reportedly arose from a strategic decision to concentrate fundraising efforts in Africa.
(Sky News)
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