Prince Harry Cleared of Allegations Following Charity Investigation

The Charity Commission has completed its investigation into Prince Harry’s departure from Sentebale, a charity he established in memory of his mother, Princess Diana. The inquiry was initiated after concerns arose from a dispute between Harry and Sentebale's chairwoman, Sophie Chandauka, involving accusations of racism, bullying, and mismanagement. Despite stepping down from his role as patron in March, the Commission found no evidence supporting the allegations against him and acknowledged the emotional toll the dispute had on those involved.

In her statements, Ms. Chandauka accused Harry of poor governance and bullying behavior, claiming he attempted to displace her through harassment. However, the Charity Commission found no proof of systemic bullying or harassment at Sentebale. It did note, though, that there was a significant perception of mistreatment among various parties involved in the conflict and pointed out failures in the charity’s governance, particularly the lack of clearly defined roles and processes.

Furthermore, the investigation criticized the public nature of the conflict, suggesting that the issues should have been resolved internally rather than through media statements. The Commission emphasized that unclear governance and inadequate internal complaints processes contributed to the inability to address and resolve the grievances effectively. In its final report, it called for Sentebale's current trustees to establish a regulatory action plan to improve governance and ensure similar disputes are managed internally in the future.

Prince Harry expressed his dismay about the public fallout from the dispute and the potential harm it caused to the charity's beneficiaries. He reaffirmed his commitment to supporting the children and young people of Southern Africa, emphasizing that the focus should remain on their welfare rather than the conflicts among trustees.