Prince Harry Breaks Silence with Emotional Statement After Sentebale Scandal Findings Go Public

Prince Harry is speaking out after the Charity Commission for England and Wales concluded its investigation into Sentebale, the nonprofit he co-founded nearly two decades ago with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho. Despite being cleared of wrongdoing, Harry says the damage is already done.

On August 5, the Commission announced it found no evidence of “widespread or systemic bullying, harassment, misogyny or misogynoir” at the organization. The probe followed allegations made by Sentebale’s current chair, Dr. Sophie Chandauka.

The investigation also cleared both Chandauka and Prince Harry, 40, of any “overreach.” Harry had stepped down as Sentebale’s patron in March, citing a breakdown in leadership. While no serious misconduct was found, the Commission criticized the charity’s internal governance and faulted both parties for allowing the conflict to escalate publicly. It said the resulting damage risked undermining public trust in charities more broadly.

In response, a spokesperson for Prince Harry issued a statement: “Unsurprisingly, the Commission makes no findings of wrongdoing in relation to Sentebale’s Co-Founder and former Patron, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex. They also found no evidence of widespread bullying, harassment or misogyny and misogynoir at the charity, as falsely claimed by the current Chair.”

The statement continued, “Despite all that, their report falls troublingly short in many regards, primarily the fact that the consequences of the current Chair’s actions will not be borne by her — but by the children who rely on Sentebale’s support.”

A source told PEOPLE that both Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso do not see a path back to the organization as long as Chandauka remains in charge. However, they are said to be keeping their options open.

“Both Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso are devastated by what has effectively been a hostile takeover by Sophie Chandauka,” said a source close to the former trustees and patrons. “This was Prince Seeiso and Prince Harry’s life work. They established it 19 years ago and put in blood, sweat, tears, and their own money into building this charity up to what it was: a multi-million pound charity that delivered nothing but good for the beneficiary community in Lesotho and Botswana.”

In a separate statement, Sentebale’s former trustees expressed frustration with the Commission’s findings, saying it ignored significant concerns about the organization’s leadership.

“We are disheartened by the way in which the Charity Commission has chosen to ignore key concerns and irrefutable evidence raised with them regarding the leadership and oversight of Sentebale’s Chair,” their statement read. “We accept there is always room to strengthen governance of an organisation, which is why we welcomed a governance review by the Chair initiated in February 2024, and that should have only taken a matter of months — we unfortunately never saw a report or any outcomes enacted, more than two years into her tenure.”

“We remain gravely concerned for the future of the charity and the wellbeing of the communities we served for 19 years, following the mission set out by Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso in honour of their mothers,” the statement concluded.

Sentebale’s current board said it accepted the Charity Commission’s findings and committed to implementing the regulator’s recommendations. In its own statement, the charity said it supports the Commission’s Regulatory Action Plan, which aims to strengthen internal policies, improve complaint and whistleblowing procedures, and formalize authority delegation. The Commission will monitor compliance and progress against the plan.

Dr. Chandauka responded by saying, “I appreciate the Charity Commission for its conclusions, which confirm the governance concerns I raised privately in February 2025. The experience was intense, and it became a test of our strategic clarity and operational resilience.”

She added, “I thank every dedicated colleague and the courageous new Board members who have stayed focused on the mission in the face of unprecedented media glare. The unexpected adverse media campaign that was launched by those who resigned on 24 March 2025 has caused incalculable damage and offers a glimpse of the unacceptable behaviors displayed in private. We are emerging not just grateful to have survived, but stronger: more focused, better governed, boldly ambitious and with our dignity intact.”

“Despite the recent turbulence, we will always be inspired by the vision of our Founders, Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso, who established Sentebale in memory of their precious mothers, Princess Diana and Queen ‘Mamohato,” she continued. “To all who believe in our mission: please walk with us as Sentebale recovers, renews, and rises to meet the hopes and expectations of the next generation.”

A source close to the former trustees found it “appalling” that Chandauka invoked the founders and their late mothers “for her own good.”

The Charity Commission had announced on April 3 that it was launching a regulatory compliance case “to examine concerns raised” about Sentebale. The announcement followed a statement from Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso declaring they were stepping down from their patron roles due to internal conflict within the organization. Other trustees also resigned, citing an irreparable breakdown in their relationship with the chair.

On March 27, the two princes issued a joint statement: “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 claimed that Sentebale’s trustees asked Chandauka to step down and that she responded by suing to retain her position. “What’s transpired is unthinkable,” they said. “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.”

Chandauka publicly defended her position in several interviews. In one interview with the Financial Times, she said her relationship with Prince Harry soured after she declined to defend Meghan Markle publicly. The issue arose after an awkward photo moment at a Sentebale event in April 2024 led to negative media attention.

According to Chandauka, Harry asked her to address the situation publicly, but she refused. “I said no, we’re not setting a precedent by which we become an extension of the Sussex PR machine,” she said.

A source familiar with the dispute told PEOPLE that the conflict at its core is about governance, not personal differences.

Chandauka was appointed chair in July 2023, having previously served on Sentebale’s board between 2009 and 2015. At the time of her appointment, a source close to the charity told PEOPLE the organization was financially stable — a situation that reportedly deteriorated under her leadership.

Though the Commission’s findings offer some resolution, they also highlight the significant harm caused to the charity’s reputation and the partnership that built it.

Still, a source says Prince Harry remains “absolutely dedicated to supporting the children of Lesotho and Botswana.”

“How that happens, he will keep his options open. Whether that means raising money for pre-existing charities that are doing good work in those countries or establishing something independent and new,” the source added. “It is very early days.”

The source concluded, “I’m positive that Prince Harry would want to work with Prince Seeiso again and deliver for Lesotho.”