Prince Harry embroiled in scandal after accusations of bullying and harassment at Sentebale charity

The chairwoman of the royal’s beloved Sentebale charity, has come out swinging — which must be mortifying for the King of Woke, writes Julie Cross.

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It must have shocked Prince Harry – the self-styled King of Woke – to find himself embroiled in accusations of “bullying and harassment at scale” by the black chairwoman of his beloved African-based charity, Sentebale.

How mortifying for the Prince to be at the centre of such toxic allegations.

The bullying accusations this week came after Harry, who set up Sentebale in memory of his mum Diana, to help AIDS victims, resigned, along with co-founder Prince Seeiso of Lesotho.

The two princes said they made the move in support of, and in solidarity with, five trustees who also quit. The blame was pointed at the chairwoman Dr Sophie Chandauka, who has come out fighting in spectacular fashion.

The Duke of Sussex sensationally resigned from Sentebale, the African charity he co-founded in 2006, and has been accused of bullying and harassment. Picture: Monirul Bhuiyan/AFP

In a Sky News interview she accused the Prince of “harassment and bullying at scale” and “unleashing” the Sussex PR machine against her.

In one comment – thought to be aimed at Harry – she said, “There are people in this world who behave as though they are above the law and mistreat people, and then play the victim card and use the very press they disdain to harm people who have the courage to challenge their conduct.”

Dr Sophie Chandauka, chairwoman of Sentebale, has come out swinging, accusing the Prince of “unleashing” the Sussex PR machine against her. Picture: Yaroslav Sabitov/PA via AP)

In the fallout of this ugly spat, the UK’s Charity Commission announced it was looking into “concerns raised” around the Sentebale organisation.

Harry released a statement hoping a “robust inquiry … will unveil the truth that collectively forced us to resign”, and said what had transpired over the last week had been “heartbreaking to witness, especially when such blatant lies hurt those who have invested decades in this shared goal”.

Dr Chandauka also welcomed the inquiry.

Let’s hope the findings will be made fully public, unlike the results of a Buckingham Palace investigation into Meghan, who was accused of bullying her staff.

She has always denied the allegations.

Dr Chandauka, Prince Harry and a guest attending a Sentebale reception in Johannesburg, South Africa, in October 2024. Picture: Brian Otieno/Getty Images for Sentebale

The irony of all this is that for years the Sussexes have liked nothing more than to preach and point their fingers at anyone and everyone, despite not living up to their own lofty ideals.

“Save the planet”, they said as they got on and off private jets.

“Don’t talk to the tabloids”, they said to Meghan’s dad, as they blocked him from their lives, before taking part in a spill-a-thon where they revealed the royal family’s secrets on Oprah, Netflix and just for good measure in Harry’s 416-page book Spare, of which there may or may not be a sequel one day.

Prince Harry, pictured on a Sentebale mission in 2013, said he was “forced” to resign - both he and Dr Chandauka have welcomed a “robust inquiry”. Picture: Stephane de Sakutin/AFP

They both claimed to be victims of “The Firm”, and suggested the royal family was racist.

In the aftermath, Harry’s estranged brother Prince William told reporters through gritted teeth, “We’re very much not a racist family”.

It seems the Sussexes are now getting a taste of their own medicine.

Originally published as Prince Harry embroiled in scandal after accusations of bullying and harassment at Sentebale charity