Earlier this week it was revealed that Prince Harry would be stepping away from his charity Sentebale amid an “unthinkable” controversy within the organisation.

Now, chair of the company, Zimbabwe-born lawyer Dr Sophie Chandauka, has claimed the “origin of the dispute”  with Prince Harry ignited in April 2024 after she refused a request by the Duke of Sussex’s team to publicly defend his wife Meghan Markle following negative media coverage. 

In the video below, filmed by HELLO! in April last year,  Sophie and Meghan appear to have an awkward exchange whilst on stage following a Sentebale charity polo match. 

She told the Financial Times: “I said no, we are setting a precedent by which we become an extension of the Sussex PR machine.” 

The publication reported that Sophie argued that the “volatile public sentiment around Prince Harry” following his relocation to the US as well as the “media fallout” following the release of Spare in 2023 and his Netflix docuseries in 2022 “had an impact on the charity’s ability to diversify” and make senior hires.

She added: “When you start to interview people, they are asking questions about, well, these mixed messages about its patron.”

Meanwhile, a source described as a person “familiar with the trustees version of events” said the dispute had nothing to do with personal tensions and that there “are real issues at hand that haven’t been addressed”. 

© Getty Images for Sentebale

They added that Sophie was asked to reconsider her position as chair “due to their lack of trust and confidence in her as a leader.”

What happened this week

On Wednesday, it was announced that Harry and Prince Seeiso – with whom he founded the charity in 2006 – would be stepping away from Sentebale.

Harry and Seeiso’s joint statement read, in part, said: “With heavy hearts, we have resigned from our roles as Patrons of the organisation until further notice, in support of and solidarity with the board of trustees who have had to do the same.

“It is devastating that the relationship between the charity’s trustees and the chair of the board broke down beyond repair, creating an untenable situation.”

© Getty Images for Sentebale

According to The Times, it is understood that the leadership row is centred around a loss in trust and confidence in chairwoman, Sophie.

Sophie was appointed as chairwoman last year after serving on the board for Senteable o between 2008 and 2014, it is believed that she took legal action against the trustees after they reportedly questioned whether she was best placed to chair the board.

In their statement, Harry and Prince Seeiso backed the departing trustees, writing: “These trustees acted in the best interest of the charity in asking the chair to step down, while keeping the wellbeing of staff in mind. In turn, she sued the charity to remain in this voluntary position, further underscoring the broken relationship.”

They added: “What’s transpired is unthinkable. We are in shock that we have to do this, but we have a continued responsibility to Sentebale’s beneficiaries, so we will be sharing all of our concerns with the Charity Commission as to how this came about.”

Former trustees Timothy Boucher, Mark Dyer, Audrey Kgosidintsi, Dr Kelello Lerotholi, and Damian West also released a statement calling their decision to resign “devastating” but that it was the “result of our loss in trust and confidence in the chair of the board”.

Responding to the statement, Sophie said she reported the trustees to the UK Charity Commission and had “blown the whistle” about issues including abuse of power, bullying, sexism and racism.

To read our full explainer on the ordeal click here.