The United Kingdom charity watchdog has cleared Prince Harry of bullying accusations after a messy leadership fight at Sentebale, the African youth charity he co-founded in 2006.
The row began in March and April when Sophie Chandauka, the chairperson of Sentebale, publicly accused Harry of bullying. At the time, Harry and co-founder Prince Seeiso of Lesotho had announced their resignations from the charity. Their exit followed a dramatic shake-up after trustees reportedly asked Chandauka to step down, which she refused. The board members then quit.
After an investigation, the Charity Commission said on Wednesday that it “found no evidence of widespread or systemic bullying or harassment, including misogyny or misogynoir at the charity.”
However, it criticised all sides for turning the dispute into a public drama, warning that the fallout has “severely impacted the charity’s reputation.”
“There was a lack of clarity in delegations,” the Commission noted, adding that this led to “mismanagement in the administration of the charity.” It has since handed the group a plan to fix its governance problems.
Chandauka, who took the voluntary chair role in 2023, said she “appreciated” the Commission’s conclusions and claimed the findings “confirm the governance concerns I raised privately in February 2025.” She did not mention that the bullying claims had been dismissed.
In April, Harry said the experience had been painful.
“These events have been heartbreaking to witness, especially when such blatant lies hurt those who have invested decades in this shared goal,” he said in a statement at the time.
Chandauka, in interviews with UK media, had criticised Harry for showing up with a Netflix camera crew at a polo fundraiser last year and for Meghan’s surprise appearance at the same event.
Prince Harry, who left the royal family in 2020 and moved to North America with his wife Meghan and their children, had kept only a few personal charity roles, including Sentebale.
Sentebale, which means “forget me not” in Sesotho, was launched in memory of Princess Diana. It supports children and young people in Lesotho and Botswana affected by HIV and AIDS.
The Commission’s Chief Executive, David Holdsworth, urged all involved to refocus.
“Moving forward, I urge all parties not to lose sight of those who rely on the charity’s services,” he said.
Despite the drama, Chandauka said, “We will always be inspired by the vision of our founders, Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso.”
