Prince Harry has expressed deep shock and devastation over his forced resignation as patron of Sentebale, the charity he co-founded in honour of his late mother, Princess Diana. Founded in 2006, Sentebale was established to support children and young people in southern Africa, particularly those affected by HIV and AIDS. However, the Duke of Sussex has stepped down due to internal conflicts within the organisation, particularly between Chairwoman Dr. Sophie Chandauka and the board of trustees.

In a joint statement with his co-founder, Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, Prince Harry emphasised the gravity of the situation: "With heavy hearts, we have resigned from our roles as patrons of the organisation until further notice, standing in support of and solidarity with the board of trustees, who have also had to step down," the statement read. The dispute within the charity, reportedly centered on a decision to focus fundraising efforts in Africa, has led to an irreparable breakdown between the board and the chair. "It is devastating that the relationship between the charity's trustees and the chair of the board deteriorated beyond repair, creating an untenable situation," the princes' statement continued. "What has transpired is unthinkable."

Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso further stated their commitment to Sentebale’s mission and pledged to report their concerns to the Charity Commission. "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," they affirmed. Meanwhile, Dr. Chandauka released her own statement, asserting that she would not be intimidated by the resignations. "For me, this is not a vanity project from which I can resign when called to account," she declared.

Dr. Chandauka revealed that she had reported the trustees to the Charity Commission and had obtained a UK court injunction to prevent her removal. She also accused certain individuals of misconduct, stating, "There are people who behave as though they are above the law, mistreating others while playing the victim card and using the very press they disdain to damage those who dare to challenge their conduct."

She further described the situation as "a story of a woman who dared to blow the whistle about poor governance, weak executive management, abuse of power, bullying, harassment, misogyny, misogynoir – and the cover-up that followed." The Charity Commission has confirmed its awareness of the concerns regarding Sentebale's governance. "We are assessing the issues to determine the appropriate regulatory steps," a commission spokesperson stated.

Prince Harry's dedication to Sentebale began in 2004 when he spent two months in Lesotho during his gap year. The country, which has one of the highest HIV and AIDS rates in the world, inspired him to co-found the charity. As recently as last October, he visited Lesotho, engaging with young people around a campfire to discuss the impact of Sentebale. Last April, he was also photographed with Dr. Chandauka at a charity polo match in Florida, signaling his ongoing support for the organisation.

Additionally, five former trustees issued a statement expressing their devastation over their resignations, citing a "loss of trust and confidence" in the chair. They claimed they were forced to step down to protect the charity from the "legal and financial burden" of a lawsuit initiated by Dr. Chandauka to prevent them from removing her after she refused to resign. "The decision to resign was not made lightly. It was not a choice we willingly embraced, but rather something we felt compelled to do in order to safeguard the charity," the former trustees explained.