Prince Harry has been accused of losing interest in his charity, Sentebale, after marrying the Duchess of Sussex and relocating to the U.S. in 2020.
The organisation, which Harry founded in 2006 with Prince Seeiso in honour of his late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, aims to support children and young people in southern Africa, particularly those affected by HIV/AIDS.
However, both Harry and Seeiso stepped down from their roles last month following a series of allegations from the charity’s chair, Sophie Chandauka. Harry’s last visit to Lesotho was in October 2024, marking his first trip there in six years. Previously, he had made several visits between 2010 and 2015.
And Chief Khoabane Theko, the principal chief of Thaba Bosiu, where the Sentebale is based in Lesotho, believes the Duke’s passion for the project tailed off after his marriage and claims his apparent decision to pull back “killed the spirit” of the charity.
Chief Theko said he was “perturbed” that Harry and Meghan did not visit Lesotho during a holiday in Africa, adding that the Duke could have made more trips. The chief recalled Harry’s strong commitment when Sentebale was first launched, citing his passion for Africa and his desire to honour his mother’s legacy.
Reflecting on Harry’s trips, Chief Theko told the Telegraph: “His loss of interest has totally killed the spirit of Sentebale’s survival.”
He said: “When [Sentebale] was launched, I remember his words quite vividly, because he was very strong in saying ‘my mother, this place, her passion about Africa’ and all that.”
The chief, who was not aware Harry had visited Lesotho twice since his marriage, added: “He’s a loved figure because of his openness, but his loss of interest has totally killed the spirit of the Sentebale’s survival. I haven’t seen him [Prince Harry] since he got himself married.”
It comes after the Duke of Sussex hit out at “blatant lies” and said he hoped “the truth” will reveal what caused him to resign from Sentebale amid a public war of words with its chairwoman, Dr Chandauka, who has levelled accusations of bullying and harassment in a bid to remove her. Harry’s wife, Meghan Markle, has also been embroiled in the dispute.
Harry’s defiant statement came as the Charity Commission said it had opened a regulatory compliance case into Sentebale.
Last month it emerged that several trustees had also left the charity in a boardroom battle with Dr Chandauka. The mass exodus came after they requested her resignation following concerns about leadership, and she refused to step down. In a defiant statement, Harry said he was relieved by the Charity Commission probe and hoped it would allow the organisation to be “put in the right hands immediately”.
He said: “From the inception of Sentebale nearly 20 years ago, Prince Seeiso and I have had a clear goal: to support the children and young people in Southern Africa in memory of our mothers. What has transpired over the last week has been heartbreaking to witness, especially when such blatant lies hurt those who have invested decades in this shared goal. No one suffers more than the beneficiaries of Sentebale itself.
“On behalf of the former trustees and patrons, we share in the relief that the Charity Commission confirmed they will be conducting a robust inquiry. We fully expect it will unveil the truth that collectively forced us to resign. We remain hopeful this will allow for the charity to be put in the right hands immediately, for the sake of the communities we serve.”
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