PRINCE Harry and Meghan Markle have been slammed as “toxic” by the boss of the duke’s African charity, from which he resigned earlier this week.
In the latest update to their bitter row, Dr Sophie Chandauka also claimed the prince once “demanded” her to “publicly defend” Meghan.
The chair of charity Sentebale, set up by the Duke of Sussex and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho in 2006, has found herself at the centre of a dispute with trustees at the organisation.
After the two founding princes sensationally quit the charity this week, slamming Dr Chandauka’s leadership as “untenable”, the chair has hit back, calling Harry and Meghan’s brand “toxic”.
Speaking to the Financial Times, she said: “The number one risk for this organisation was the toxicity of its lead patron’s brand”.
The chair also claimed the Prince tried to use the charity “as an extension of the Sussex PR Machine” to try and protect Meghan’s reputation.
Dr Chandauka said she had been once asked by the prince’s team to defend Meghan in the face of negative media coverage.
She added: “I said no, we’re not setting a precedent by which we become an extension of the Sussex PR machine.”
In her first interview since the row erupted, she also issued a strong message to the Duke of Sussex, saying: “The team is resolved that Sentebale will live on, with or without you.”
Dr Chandauka, a Zimbabwe-born lawyer, was selected to be chair of the trustees last year.
But it is understood these members strongly disagreed with the decision and wanted her to step down – a move which has seen her sue.
After her refusal to quit, many disgruntled trustees left the charity, as relations “broke down beyond repair” – a move that was followed by the charity’s two co-founders.
Following their departure, Chandauka released an explosive statement in which she slammed “unthinkable” infighting in the organisation as well as made claims that there had been a “cover-up”.
In a statement given to the Mail, Chandauka alleged there had been “weak executive management, abuse of power, bullying, harassment, misogyny, and misogynoir”.
Misogynoir is the term used to describe discrimination against black women.
Princes Harry and Seeiso had said it was “devastating” to leave the charity, but slammed Chandauka for her “untenable” leadership.
Prince Harry needs to stand up to ‘racism, sexism & bullying’ row at his charity – he can’t run and hide, expert says
The Duke of Sussex, 40, has found himself at the centre of a bitter feud that has seen him resign for his beloved Sentebale organisation.
The decision came after a row with Dr Sophie Chandauka, a Zimbabwe-born lawyer, who was selected to be chair of the trustees last year.
Royal expert Ingrid Seward told The Sun: “It’s a complicated story, Harry and the Prince of Lesotho have been obliged to resign because they are patrons of this charity.
“The charity is in trouble, because the new chairperson has had altercations with the board of trustees and she’s accusing them of misogyny. She’s accusing them of racism.
“And on this board of trustees are friends of Harry’s, including Mark Dyer, who helped him set up the charity.
“So it’s very personal to Harry, and he was obviously advised by his lawyers just to stand down for the moment because he couldn’t be embroiled in this kind of mess.”
The expert added: “Harry’s just going to have to stand up and fight for it if he can.
“But he’s going to have to do it behind the scenes.
“He can’t do it in a public way, because she might even try to sue Harry and the Prince of Lesotho.”
In a statement, they 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.”
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.”
The Charity Commission has confirmed that an investigation is underway into the charity, which was set up to support those living with HIV and Aids in Africa.
Harry and Seeiso said Chandauka’s behaviour forced them to consider the “unthinkable” decision of resigning.
In response, the chair appeared to suggest Harry and Seeiso were using the charity as a “vanity project”, saying she would not be “intimidated” by them.
She also slammed “people in this world who behave as though they are above the law and mistreat people…then play the victim card and use the very press they disdain”.
Dr Chandauka has now also argued that Harry’s move to the US worsened the situation at the charity.
She said the controversy that surrounded his move impacted Sentebale’s ability to both diversify its donor pool and make senior hires.
When the Sussex’s resided in the UK they attended British events like the West End musical Hamilton in August 2018 or Cirque du Soleil’s Totem show at the Royal Albert Hall in January 2019.
These high-profile appearances pulled in thousands for Sentebale – which helps young boys struggling in South Africa.
Once Meghan and Harry stepped down from their Royal duties in January 2020 he dramatically moved to the US they stopped attending these prominent events.
The funding, made up of proceeds from ticket sales, then started to dry up and the fundraising for the charity was reportedly made harder.
With the move swirled by controversy, the pair’s popularity dropped somewhat which also affected donations.
Harry setup Sentebale after visiting Lesotho on his gap year in 2004.
It was on the trip that he met his future co-founder, Prince Seeiso, who had also lost his mum the year before.
In their resignation statement, the pair said they had started the charity, which means “forget-me-not”, in honour of their mums.
The Sussexes have been approached for comment.
Timeline of events at Sentebale
2004: Prince Harry spends two months in Lesotho in a working visit during his gap year. Here he meets Aids orphans and vulnerable young people.
2006: Inspired by his visit two years prior, he setups up Sentebale with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, taking the name from the Sesotho language for the phrase “forget me not”.
2010: The first polo cup is held. Harry has regularly played in the annual tournament, helping to raise more than £11 million since the tournament’s creation.
2015: Harry attends the official opening of the charity’s flagship Mamohato Children’s Centre in Lesotho.
2020: Following the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s decision to step back as senior royals, Harry made his first public speech to Sentebale.
2023: Sophie Chandauka is appointed to the role of chair after Johnny Hornby resigns, following his five years in the position.
2024: Harry visits Lesotho in October for the first time in six years to showcase Sentebale’s work.
2025: In March, princes Harry and Seeiso release a joint statement announcing their resignation amid a row between the trustees and Chandauka.
In response, Chandauka slams “weak executive management, abuse of power, bullying, harassment, misogyny, and misogynoir” at the charity.
