The Charity Commission said it has opened a case into ‘concerns raised’ about Sentebale, which Prince Harry quit as patron of last week amid a boardroom battle.
The charity, which the Duke of Sussex co-founded with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho in 2006, dedicates itself to tackling poverty and Aids in Lesotho and Botswana.
Harry established the charity, which benefits African orphans, in memory of his late mother Princess Diana.
The duke travelled to Africa last year to support its work and proudly attended a charity event in New York in December.
The Charity Commission said today that it would be speaking to people who had complained about the way Sentebale was run.
Prince Harry recently appeared in a video promoting the sustainable tourism initiative Travalyst
Prince Seeiso of Lesotho and Prince Harry at a children’s centre in Lesotho in October 2024
‘The regulator for charities in England and Wales has opened a regulatory compliance case to examine concerns raised about the charity Sentebale,’ a spokesman said.
‘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.’
But he has quit in solidarity with his co-founder and the entire board of trustees following a relationship breakdown between the trustees and the chair of the board.
Sophie Chandauka, a Zimbabwe-born lawyer, was appointed chair of the board of trustees last year, but it is reported the trustees were deeply unhappy with the decision and wanted her to step down, prompting her to sue.
The row seemingly stemmed from a decision to move the charity’s fundraising operation to southern Africa – where most of its charity work takes place – after which several key figures walked away.
In a statement given to the Mail on behalf of Dr Chandauka. 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.’
