The Times of London had a big story about Sentebale and Sophie Chandauka over the weekend, which I covered on Sunday. The sense I’m getting – and this happened back in March and April as well – is that the British press knows full well that Chandauka is a liar, a con artist and a grifter. They just enjoy amplifying her bullsh-t because she’s attacking Prince Harry and Meghan, which is why they’re still giving her lies and her grift the patina of sincerity. The Times reported that since the trustees, Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso all stepped down from Sentebale, Chandauka has effectively mothballed the charity’s operations, helping children with HIV. She’s also looted the charity’s reserves. Well, the Mail had another exclusive – much of it is a rehash of the back-and-forth, but there’s some new info here:
Harry plans to launch a new venture: Prince Harry is planning to outflank the boardroom rival who accused him of bullying by launching a new African children’s charity, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. The Duke of Sussex last week walked away from Sentebale following a damning report into an explosive race row. But sources say he is determined to continue the work of the charity, which he co-founded with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho in 2006 in honour of their mothers. ‘The Duke is anxious that the fight against poverty and Aids in Lesotho and Botswana carries on,’ said an insider. ‘He and Prince Seeiso are keen to work together on a new venture. They are talking about setting up a new charity or clubbing together to support other existing charities doing similar work in the region.’
Harry has issued a formal complaint about Chandauka: The MoS has learned that Harry has now upped the ante by issuing a formal complaint about Dr Chandauka’s conduct, accusing her of ‘recycling’ unfounded claims. A letter to the commission from his office notes that since the investigation, Dr Chandauka had revisited ‘serious, highly-charged and damaging allegations’. It said the claims ‘directly impact’ his other charity work, adding: ‘Ms Chandauka continues to publicly recycle these claims, this time beneath the guise of clarification, all while leveraging the charity’s public platform to do so. This conduct appears to directly contravene your warning about the risks of airing internal disputes in the media and seems to constitute an ongoing misuse of charitable resources for the pursuit of personal vindication.’
Chandauka’s background: This newspaper can now reveal startling new details of the background to Dr Chandauka’s 2023 appointment. In an email to fellow board members, she requested $3,000 (£2,200) a day for her time, claiming this represented ‘a very significant compromise/pay cut’ as she typically charged £2,500 for 60-minute speaking engagements. A source said it raised eyebrows among trustees and was in ‘stark contrast to the selfless, pro bono spirit in which most serve’. In the event, the Zimbabwean-born lawyer eventually agreed to work pro bono.
She pushed her way into the chairmanship: Other emails show she was originally turned down for the role of chairman, but launched ‘an all-out pressure campaign’ for a formal explanation for her rejection. She eventually got the job, with Harry at the time hailing her appointment.
This is a minor quibble in the grand scheme of things, but Harry didn’t resign from Sentebale last week – he resigned from his position as patron back in March, because of Chandauka’s behavior and her financial impropriety. He resigned alongside Seeiso and the board of trustees. In retrospect, it feels like Harry and the trustees were concerned about the optics throughout this whole ordeal, when really, they should have just used their power to get rid of her. They were concerned about the optics of NOT hiring a Black woman as chair, and the optics of demanding Chandauka’s resignation when she was lying her ass off about being “bullied.” They hoped to shame this evil, disgusting woman into stepping down and leaving Sentebale of her own accord. They didn’t count on the fact that she began working with Prince William’s allies to hollow out Sentebale’s funds and operations. Anyway, I hope Harry and Seeiso start another charity. I hope they’ve both learned that they need to structure the new charity differently as well.
Photos courtesy of Cover Images, screencaps courtesy of Sky News.
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- Royal Salute Polo Challenge, to benefit Sentebale, at the USPA National Polo Center. Featuring: Nacho Figueras, Meghan Markle, Prince Harry Where: Wellington, Florida, United States When: 12 Apr 2024 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Duchess of Sussex presents the trophy to her husband, the Duke of Sussex after his team the Royal Salute Sentebale Team defeated the Grand Champions Team, in the Royal Salute Polo Challenge, to benefit Sentebale, at The USPA National Polo Center Featuring: Prince Harry, Duke Of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess Of Sussex Where: Wellington, Florida, United States When: 12 Apr 2024 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Duke of Sussex during the awards ceremony after he played in a polo match during the Royal Salute Polo Challenge, to benefit Sentebale, at The USPA National Polo Center Featuring: Prince Harry, Duke Of Sussex Where: Wellington, Florida, United States When: 12 Apr 2024 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Duke of Sussex during the awards ceremony after he played in a polo match during the Royal Salute Polo Challenge, to benefit Sentebale, at The USPA National Polo Center Featuring: Prince Harry, Duke Of Sussex Where: Wellington, Florida, United States When: 12 Apr 2024 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The Duke and Duchess of Sussex after arrive at the Royal Salute Polo Challenge, to benefit Sentebale, at The USPA National Polo Center. Featuring: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle Where: Wellington, Florida, United States When: 12 Apr 2024 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- Prince Harry speaks at the 2024 Clinton Global Initiative Featuring: Prince Harry Where: New York, New York, United States When: 24 Sep 2024 Credit: Janet Mayer/INSTARimages.com
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- Harry, Duke of Sussex arrives at the Royal Courts of Justice, central London, for the start of his appeal against a High Court ruling on his legal claim against the Home Office over the level of security he receives while he is in the UK Featuring: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex Where: London, United Kingdom When: 09 Apr 2025 Credit: Cover Images
This is Good news, however he is still softballing the issue, he needs to evict her and her charity from the property and sue her for copyright using the name Sentable and the botswana and lestoho governments need to run her out of town with the clothes on her back LOL. Gee i am so vengeful
I think some people are unfamiliar with UK employment law. It is very difficult to get rid staff unless they have committed a misconduct. Since the role of the Chair was not clearly defined the board didn’t have the grounds to do that. If you remove someone from their job in the UK without giving them an opportunity to improve their performance they can take you to employment tribunal and they will win . I have seen this happen in places I have worked. It is extremely hard to sack people unless you can prove they have broken rules. Losing faith in them is not sufficient grounds for dismissal. This is why the charity commission have alleged her to stay in place. Sophie understood this and used it to her advantage to keep her position. It’s terrible what she has done but the board didn’t have the power to get her out because they didn’t define her role clearly when she was appointed.
Agreed.
And I wish that people would quit thinking William is behind this. Let’s just be upfront that this Black woman is a freaking grifter and pushed her way into that role and then looted the charity.
Hopefully the next time they form a charity the princes make sure every role is defined and the ability to remove people like this.
Willy is behind this because his minion came out of nowhere.
Where else can you explain Rawlinson’s appearance and as Sophie’s handler?
Yes, she is a grifter and I am sure a sweet talking one too. People like Sophie are skilful at convincing others to put aside their natural skepticism. Make you feel at ease until they put whatever plan they have in action. She was not the first chair Sentebale had, but she was already a trustee so as a legal person, she would know the weaknesses of the role of the Chair. The fact that the role remained undefined both in her role as Trustee, and later as Chair, tells me that she definitely knew what she was doing.
Unfortunately people judge others by their own standards and Harry and Seeiso have higher standards than she does.
Yes, Willy’s longtime ally/minion Iain Rawlinson appeared at Sophie’s side during televised interviews when she was barnstorming the UK to accuse Harry of racism and trash Meghan. He’s now one of the two people on Sentebale’s board. He certainly did nothing to stop her during her barnstorming tour. He’s doing nothing to stop her now. It seems likely he’s actually encouraging her.
Sorry “Walking the Walk” but your comments is filled with bad vibes. A “black” woman. Sophie;s race has nothing to do with her horrid, narcissistic behaviour. And OF COURSE William is behind this coup. He has been seething with jealousy for almost 9 years now (since Meg came on the scene).
She became chair woman in July of 2023 at the time this blew up she was in the post less than 2 years and they could have gotten rid of her then well within their rights. Next time they need to get someone who is familiar with the law. it could have been done
@Lili probation period in the UK is 3 to 6 months after that time it is very difficult to remove someone. You have to give them an opportunity to improve and can only get rid of them if they don’t fulfil the action plan you have set out with them. Her being in the post less than 2 years would be irrelevant in UK employment law. They would not have been within their rights to remove her and Sophie who studied law at university knew this! I worked in a job where an employee was fired without following the correct procedures. He sued the company and won.
Is the chair of a board considered an employee? Is she an employee if she isn’t paid?
So you’re saying they could get rid of her by proving mismanagement, including embezzlement? Apparently there were no clear rules prohibiting her from spending hundreds of thousands of pounds on consultants, or from sacking her for not bringing any new donors.
They could probably sack her for embezzlement. But there won’t be proof until she finally releases her financials. But now that they’ve left Sentebale, they have no authority within the charity to get rid of her.
Sentebale do have to publish their accounts eventually even if they extend this year to 31 December 2025. Charity Commission UK could be asked to investigate again but there has to be cast iron proof of wrong doing. Sophie was appointed as CEO to broaden the donor base instead she has alienated her existing patrons and chief fundraisers. Her actions behind the scenes and in her unhinged media interviews have damaged the charity’s ability to fund raise. Previous board asked for her resignation and she went to UK High Court to obtain an emergency injunction to prevent another board meeting taking place to vote her out. She then informed them that she would sue the Charity if they eventually held a board meeting to vote her out after the injunction had lapsed. It would be public and messy and if she won the Sentebale would be ruined and whilst court proceedings were ongoing the charity mired in controversy and damaging to fund raising. She had them over a barrel then hence the board resigning en masse and both patrons resigning as well.
Very hard lesson to learn. But given grace because of how young Prince Harry was at the time they started this charity. Big questions about Prince Seeiso. Most importantly with their new charity they must have governance in place to control who can make decisions and who has authority to act on behalf of the organization. If Meghan is able to help get this new charity started, pretty sure all bases will be covered. As the song says, “what does not kill you makes you stronger.” Hopefully they will be able to help those most in need.
It looks as if this was the first charity that Prince Seeiso started as well. Most of us learn from experience.
What big questions are there about Seeiso?
When Charlotte Griffiths spoke about this story on GB News last night she didn’t seem to have information about Harry and Seeiso starting a new charity even though she wrote the story. It seemed like speculation to me. Who knows what they’re going to do next?
The only thing they might know about PH’s feelings and plans is what was in the letter to the charity commission that somebody apparently leaked. PH himself said he didn’t plan on starting more charities. I could see the Princes supporting other charities that are established doing similar work. The article does make her appear greedy in wanting that much pay from a charity. Who paid her 2500 for speaking engagements?
He already has Archewell – maybe Sentebale can be moved there?
“In an email to fellow board members, she requested $3,000 (£2,200) a day for her time, claiming this represented ‘a very significant compromise/pay cut’ as she typically charged £2,500 for 60-minute speaking engagements.”
There’s a major difference between a one off speaking engagement and a salaried employee. It must be like for like. What was her weekly salary at her last corporate job?
Sophie is conflating and egoistic. That she can only command £2500 for a speaking engagement is laughable 😂 you ain’t all that Sophie. Any speaker worth hearing commands so much more. I bet Harry gets at least five figures for his private engagements, and gives them pro bono when he wants to.
The fact that she wanted to turn her volunteer role into a salaried position just speaks grift and manipulation. What an idiot.
Agree £2500 is outrageous and highly improbable for someone of her stature before she moved to Sentebale (and post-Sentebale too, but I digress). I assume she’s including prep time in that figure, but that’s not how a salaried job works.
Except her stature appears to be mostly made up.
Does she use Doctor as a title when it’s just an honorary degree because she can elevate her speaker fees? Or hasn’t she got a company related to health care so the Dr title would encourage people to believe she’s a medical doctor or has studied successfully for a doctorate?
The board of trustees appeared weak in dealing
with Sophie.
The board appeared unified. Unity is strength. They supported the two Princes. It was their strength that allowed them to all walk away together.
When you are dealing with a corporate psychopath like Sophie, you run away as she burns the entire place down. There is no way anyone can reason with someone who has a vastly different agenda to yours. This was a two-decade not for profit, not a company ripe to be eaten.
The mission had changed, the board didn’t support it, so they left. Best that they did than suffer from mission drift. Their reputations are in tact – stories that they can tell – hers isn’t.
Good for Harry to launch an official complaint against Chanduka. I hope the Charity Commission will do their job properly now.
“This newspaper can now reveal..”! The DM is a little bit late to the party. This information was out there for weeks They could have included it in their reporting weeks ago. They did not because it did not fit their narrative of “it is all Harry’s fault”.
Good for Harry and Seeiso being determined to support the children in Lesotho. This is Harry. He does not give up. He is determined, committed and passionate about the causes he supports.
It’s just a sad situation. Truly.
Sad but reveals the snake pit the Sussexes have to navigate. The more shit is thrown at them, the more they rise.
That’s why the numbers don’t lie. People want them – need them – to succeed. They are the golden couple du jour. Or decade.
It’s great Harry and Seeiso are thinking of either starting a new charity, or “clubbing” with existing charities in the area (whatever “clubbing” means, maybe collaborating?).
Harry and Seeiso have been doing this for 20 years and they keep demonstrating their commitment to the region and to the specific cause championed by their mothers. Sentebale’s important work on children with AIDS needs to continue. Especially with USAID now out of the region, and especially now that Chandauka and Willy’s minion Rawlinson seem to want to pivot Sentebale itself to environmental issues. Africa does not belong to Bulliam, there are already many great environmental groups working in the area, and for a tiny charity to try to replicate their work is just senseless.
I hope if they can’t oust Chandauka soon, they find a way to start a new charity using the word Sentebale, presumably with something else in the title to differentiate it legally and for the donors — Sentebale Lesotho?
I am so disgusted that Chandauka, that world-class grifter, liar, and thief, may end up getting away with gutting and then killing a beloved, long-established charity serving one of the most vulnerable populations in the world, African children with HIV/AIDS.