A bitter boardroom row at an African charity Prince Harry based after which stop escalated on Sunday after its chairperson accused the prince of “bullying” and being concerned in a “cowl up”.

Earlier this week, Harry and Lesotho’s Prince Seeiso introduced their departure from the Sentebale charity they based in 2006 following a “devastating” dispute between trustees and board chair Sophie Chandauka.

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Relations with Chandauka, who was appointed in 2023, “broke down past restore”, they mentioned in a joint assertion on Tuesday, prompting trustees to go away and demand that Chandauka resign.

Within the newest allegations, Chandauka accused Harry, who based the charity in reminiscence of his mom Princess Diana, of making an attempt to pressure her out via “bullying (and) harassment” in an interview with Sky Information.

Prince Harry didn’t give Sky Information a proper response to the allegations, however some former trustees have questioned the veracity of the claims.

In keeping with Chandauka, there was a tradition of “silence” on the organisation, with board members reluctant to talk out towards the Duke of Sussex, whom she accused of “belligerence” in board conferences and past.

In a single instance, Chandauka criticised Harry for his determination to deliver a Netflix digicam crew to the charity’s polo fundraiser final 12 months, in addition to an unplanned look by his spouse Meghan on the occasion.

Following vital media protection of the fundraiser, she claimed Harry “requested me to difficulty some kind of a press release in help of the Duchess (of Sussex)”.

She alleged the request to again Meghan was a push by the “Sussex PR machine” that “helps Prince Harry’s efforts”.

Former trustee Kelello Lerotholi advised Sky Information he didn’t recognise the allegations of boardroom rifts and discontent.

A supply near the trustees advised the BBC they “absolutely anticipated this publicity stunt” after they left the board.

‘Cowl-up’

Former British politician Lynda Chalker, who stop as a trustee in November after almost 20 years, described Chandauka’s governance fashion as “nearly dictatorial”.

Chalker advised The Occasions she left as a result of she was “not pleased with the route” the chair was taking.

Harry based the charity in honour of his mom with Seeiso to assist younger individuals with HIV and AIDS in Lesotho and later Botswana.

“What’s transpired is unthinkable. We’re in shock that we’ve to do that, however we’ve a continued duty to Sentebale’s beneficiaries,” the co-founders mentioned of their resignation.

In keeping with Chandauka, relations broke down after she complained about “the harassment and the misogyny” within the organisation together with by people on the board.

Harry was not one of many people, they usually had a “nice relationship” earlier than she made the allegations, in accordance with the Zimbabwe-born lawyer.

However she mentioned that after she spoke out, Harry “interfered within the investigation”.

“So it’s a cover-up, and the prince is concerned,” Chandauka mentioned, claiming that after that time, the prince needed her out.

“What Prince Harry needed to do was to eject me and this went on for months. It went on for months via bullying, harassment,” she mentioned.

‘Conscious of considerations’

Chandauka mentioned she had reported trustees to the UK’s Charity Fee regulator and brought her case to the Excessive Court docket in London.

Harry and Seeiso mentioned Chandauka had “sued the charity” to stay in her place after trustees requested her to step down, including that they’d additionally share their considerations with the Charity Fee.

The Charity Fee advised AFP it was “conscious of considerations concerning the governance of Sentebale”.

“We’re assessing the problems to find out the suitable regulatory steps,” it mentioned.

The most recent accusations are a contemporary blow for the prince, who stored up solely a handful of his non-public patronages together with with Sentebale after a dramatic cut up with the British royals in 2020.

Whereas Harry was integral to the founding imaginative and prescient of the charity, to which he as soon as mentioned he was “dedicated for the remainder of my life”, Chandauka mentioned “Sentebale has a future” past the prince.

“Sentebale is right here due to the individuals in Africa who do the work each single day,” the chair mentioned, alleging that “Prince Harry visited Africa for the primary time in 5 years after I requested him to final 12 months”.

Harry selected the title Sentebale as a tribute to Diana – it means “overlook me not” within the Sesotho language and can also be used to say goodbye.

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By Garrin Lambley © Agence France-Presse