Prince Harry breaks silence after investigation into scandal is revealed to the public
The Duke of Sussex has shared an official statement after details from a 'bullying scandal' investigation surrounding his Sentebale charity were made public this week.
Prince Harry co-founded the non-profit organisation back in 2006 with the help of Prince Seeiso of Lesotho.
The charity was set up in the Southern African landlocked country in honour of the Duke of Sussex's late mother, Princess Diana, in a bid to bring aid to young people in need - especially those suffering with HIV and Aids.
Back in April, however, both Harry and Seeiso suddenly stepped down as charity patrons amid a dispute with the charity's current chair, Dr. Sophie Chandauka.
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In the weeks earlier, she had made a series of accusations against the royal pair, specifically regarding the discrimination she was supposedly subjected to in her role. Chandauka also accused a 'toxic' Duke of trying to cover up bullying claims.
In his resignation Harry, 40, cited a breakdown in leadership 'beyond repair', which resulted in the creation of 'an untenable situation', announcing the move had been made with 'heavy hearts'.
On 5 August, the Charity Commission for England and Wales revealed it had found no evidence of 'widespread or systemic bullying, harassment, misogyny or misogynoir' at Sentebale in its investigation, clearing Harry of all allegations.
Furthermore, no 'overreach' by either Chandauka or Prince Harry was found by the Commission.
That said, however, all parties were subsequently criticised by the body for permitting conflict 'to play out publicly'.
The Commission also cited poor internal governance prior to the investigation kick-starting, as well as a 'failure to resolve disputes internally severely impacted the charity’s reputation and risked undermining public trust in charities more generally'.
Despite Harry having been placed in the clear, it seems the damage has already been done, with the father-of-two releasing a damning statement on the matter, as per PEOPLE Magazine.
"Unsurprisingly, the Commission makes no findings of wrongdoing in relation to Sentebale’s Co-Founder and former Patron, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex," the Prince's statement, released by a representative, re-emphasised.
"They also found no evidence of widespread bullying, harassment or misogyny and misogynoir at the charity, as falsely claimed by the current Chair."
It continued: "Despite all that, their 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."
Former trustees from Sentebale also expressed their disappointment over the findings in a statement, hinting that more analysis should have gone into Chandauka's takeover of the charity.
"We are disheartened by the way in which the Charity Commission has chosen to ignore key concerns and irrefutable evidence raised with them regarding the leadership and oversight of Sentebale's Chair," the message read.
"We accept there is always room to strengthen governance of an organisation, which is why we welcomed a governance review by the Chair initiated in February 2024, and that should have only taken a matter of months — we unfortunately never saw a report or any outcomes enacted, more than two years into her tenure."
The joint trustee message concluded: "We remain gravely concerned for the future of the charity and the wellbeing of the communities we served for 19 years, following the mission set out by Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso in honour of their mothers."
Lastly, 47-year-old Chandauka broke her silence, claiming she 'appreciates' the conclusions of the investigation, which she says 'confirm the governance concerns I raised privately in February 2025'.
The lawyer went on to recall: "The experience was intense, and it became a test of our strategic clarity and operational resilience."
She also pledged continued support of young people living in Lesotho and Botswana, adding: "I thank every dedicated colleague and the courageous new Board members who have stayed focused on the mission in the face of unprecedented media glare.
"The unexpected adverse media campaign that was launched by those who resigned on 24 March 2025 has caused incalculable damage and offers a glimpse of the unacceptable behaviors displayed in private.
"We are emerging not just grateful to have survived, but stronger: more focused, better governed, boldly ambitious and with our dignity intact."
Chandauka concluded her statement by adding: "Despite the recent turbulence, we will always be inspired by the vision of our Founders, Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso, who established Sentebale in memory of their precious mothers, Princess Diana and Queen 'Mamohato.
"To all who believe in our mission: please walk with us as Sentebale recovers, renews, and rises to meet the hopes and expectations of the next generation."
Topics: Prince Harry, Royal Family, UK News, World News, News
Rhianna Benson