The head of an African charity set up to help children with HIV has spent a devastating width against Harry and Meghan – who describes the brand of the couple as 'toxic'.
In a sensational interview, Dr. Sophie Chandauka, chairman of Sentebale – the organization De Duke of Sussex co -founder – that she felt tension between Harry and herself for the first time a year ago.
At one point her team was asked to defend Meghan against negative publicity, but she refused.
Prince Harry stopped dramatic Sentebale 'in Solidarity' last week with the dissatisfied managers of the charity who resigned when the relationships with formidable Zimbabwean lawyer Dr. Chandauka 'outside repair were demolished' after they had refused their request to resign.
But in an extraordinary interview yesterday, she raised the effort in the ever -ugly dispute that flooded the charity and said that the brand Sussexes '' had hindered the charity.
“The number one risk for this organization was the toxicity of the brand of her main patron,” Dr. Chandauka at the Financial Times.
She argued that controversy around Prince Harry since his move to the US had an impact on the ability of the charity to diversify his donor tool and make senior employees.
“When you start interviewing people, they ask questions about, well, these mixed messages about the patron,” she said.
Dr. Sophie Chandauka (photo), the chairman of the besieged charity institution of Prince Harry Sentebale, said that she was asked to defend Meghan Markle against negative publicity
Dr. Chandauka (third from the right) claimed that the brand of Sussexes had become 'toxic' (depicted on the Royal Salute Polo Challenge in Florida in April last year to raise money for Sentebale)
Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho stopped as protectors of the charity they had founded in solidarity with managers who said they could not continue under Dr. Chandauka
Elsewhere, she accuses Harry and fellow founder Prince Seiso van Lesotho of trying to force a failure of the organization and then to test.
In her first interview since the dispute broke out, Dr. Chandauka a passionate defense of her record.
And in an amazing message to Harry, she said, “The team has been resolved that Sentebale will live, with or without you.”
It followed a statement from Sentebale last week – who was formed in 2006 in memory of Harry's deceased mother Diana to help AIDS orphans in South Africa – which suggests that 'people in the field' were more important than the managers.
The charity ignited a toxic internal dispute, said the charity in a highly charged explanation last week: “There are people in this world who behave as if they were above the law and then abusing people, and then playing the victim card and the press they are contempt to harm people who have the courage to challenge their behavior.”
There was a deafening silence from Harry about the claims.
But a source that the prince has known since the start of the charity told the mail: 'There is no way to cover the damage of this, regardless of who is on the right. He will falter. '
The charity also repeated his dedication to support young people in the region without the support of his royal patron, who took a step back from his role in protest against the 'untenable' actions of Mrs. Chandauka.
Sentebale and his managers are confronted with accusations of racism, sexism and bullying of Mrs. Chandauka.
Dr. Chandauka has accused Sentebale and his managers of racist, sexist and bullying
But Dr. Chandauka said that the arrangement of the organization 'was no longer suitable in a post -black life competitions – and that managers hated an idea of ​​change
She claimed that she was asked to defend Meghan against negative press releases – but the Sussex brand considered 'toxic' as
Sources say that after the board of directors formally asked for the resignation of Mrs. Chandauka, she refused and when they tried to force the move with a vote, she submitted a legal challenge to the Supreme Court to prevent their meeting.
Although there is no formal report of the procedure at the Royal Courts of Justice, it is claimed that the court did not give an order and, since the Charity Board meeting was eventually canceled, the court decided that no further hearing or court issue was needed.
It is not clear where this leaves the legal challenge of Mrs. Chandauka. Prince Harry is not personally the subject of any legal steps in this matter.
Representatives of Prince Harry have strongly denied that he had tried to develop the charity in the goal to make it.
Mrs. Chandauka, who trained as a lawyer in London, told the FT that she was on a mission to transform the charity.
“The way the organization was set up in 2006 was no longer suitable in 2023 in a post-black life competitions,” she said.
She added that her changes caused friction between the British staff and those in Lesotho, where the majority of the 500-plus workforce is based on charity.
The board, she said, felt 'a loss of power and control and influence … Oh my goodness, the Africans take over'.
Far by being a bully herself, she insisted that during her time as a chair “lack of respect, bullying and intimidation” and “misogyny and misogyny (misogynia aimed at black women)” experienced accusations that are fiercely refused.
There is no suggestion that Princes are reportedly behaving in this way.
Kelello Lerotholi, one of the managers who resigned this week, told Sky News that he did not recognize the allegations: “I can honestly say, in the meetings I was present, there was never a hint of it.”
Prince Harry was depicted with Dr. Chandauka during an event in Miami last April
Prince Harry depicted during a visit to Lesotho with Ntoli Moletsane from Sentebale in October last year
Under the trustees to resign, former Royal Equerry Mark Dyer (depicted with Harry) was. The managers said that there was no other path forward '
And Baroness Lynda Chalker from Wallasey, who served as Trustee for almost two decades until November, spoke about how Dr. Chandauka 'almost dictatorial' style had led to collisions.
The origin of the dispute has been greatly disputed by both parties. Dr. Chandauka said she felt tension for the first time between Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, and herself in April 2024.
Some sources insist that the dispute had nothing to do with personal hostility. “There are real problems that have been discussed and have not been tackled,” someone said.
“The managers tried to negotiate this privately and asked that she considered her position because of their lack of trust and trust in her as a leader.”
Lawyers for Prince Harry said that there had been a breakdown in relations between the chairman and important people, including some staff members, managers and major financiers.
A spokesperson for a charity committee said: 'We can confirm that we are aware of worries about the board of Sentebale. We assess the problems to determine the correct regulatory steps. '
The five former trustees of the charity, including Harry's old mentor Mark Dyer – a former army of the army who accompanied him during his first interim trip to Lesotho – said in their dismissal that “we see no other path ahead as a result of our loss in trust and trust in the chairman of the Council.”
Dr. Chandauka ensures that “this is not a vanity project for me where I can resign if I am called to account.”
She said: 'I am an African who has had the privilege of a world -class course and career. I will not be intimidated. I have to stand for something. '
And she insisted that she would not resign from her role. A source close to the prince told the mail that it was a 'extremely sensitive' situation and urged people to 'see the facts play'.
“The Charity Commission will investigate. That process must happen, “they said.
Sentebale and the Sussexes have been approached for comment.
