Meghan Markle and Prince Harry accused of 'bullying at scale' by charity boss

Dr Sophie Chandauka issued a blistering statement and accused Prince Harry of 'bullying at scale' by 'unleashing the Sussex machine' after he resigned as patron of Sentebale.

The chair of a charity co-founded by Prince Harry has levelled serious accusations against him, claiming he engaged in "harassment and bullying at scale" by "unleashing the Sussex machine" following his departure earlier this week.

The Duke of Sussex, aged 40, stepped down on Tuesday from his role as patron of Sentebale – a charity established in honour of his late mother Princess Diana to aid children with HIV. Expressing his heartache over the decision, he pointed to a "broken" relationship as the cause for his resignation.

His exit, alongside that of Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, the other co-founder, occurred just hours before Sentebale's chairwoman Dr Sophie Chandauka seemingly rebuked him for "playing the victim card" and released a scathing statement accusing the organisation of "poor governance, weak executive management, abuse of power, bullying, harassment, misogyny, misogynoir".

Tensions between the parties reportedly arose after a shift in fundraising efforts towards Africa. However, a source intimately familiar with the charity's workings alleges that Dr Chandauka herself has faced allegations of bullying staff members and distorting board meeting minutes.

According to the source, one investigation currently under the Charity Commission's scrutiny will address concerns about Chandauka's leadership and her alleged "manipulation of minutes to endorse her false claims of bullying and misogyny", as reported by The Times, reports the Mirror.

Concerns have been raised about the future of the charity Sentebale after reports that available funds dipped below a £600,000 safety threshold following Chandauka's appointment in 2023. A source close to Chandauka confirmed the £600,000 figure but also claimed that Sentebale was set to receive $1.75 million (£1.35 million) which had already been pledged.

Meanwhile, Prince Harry has contributed significantly to the charity, raising over £12 million through polo matches and donating more than £1 million from the proceeds of his memoir 'Spare'.

In a recent explosive interview with Sky News, Chandauka accused Prince Harry of "harassment and bullying at scale" by using his Sussex "PR machine."

She detailed an incident saying: "At some point on Tuesday, Prince Harry authorised the release of a damaging piece of news to the outside world, without informing me, or my country directors, or my executive director. And can you imagine what that attack has done for me, and the 540 individuals in the Sentebale organisation and their family?".

Chandauka further commented on the impact of this action: "That is an example of harassment and bullying at scale. If the world didn't want to believe that there's such a thing as bullying - this unleashing of the Sussex machine on me and the 540 employees at Sentebale who receive this and have had to defend it.."

Sky News reporter Trevor Phillips interrupted Dr Chandauka with a query about her previous comment, asking: "When you say Sussex machine, what are you talking about?" To which Dr Chandauka explained: "The PR machine that supports Prince Harry's efforts. The only way we discovered his decision was through the Sussex machine activating newspapers."

Dr Kelello Lerotholi, an erstwhile trustee, reported to Sky News that during his tenure he didn't encounter any of the issues mentioned and found the allegations astonishing. He stated: "I can honestly say, in the meetings I was present in, there was never even a hint of such. The general tone and conduct of the board has been one of respect for each other, accommodating each other's opinions and inputs, and speaking with respect to each other. So this all came as a shock to me."

An informant closely acquainted with the prince since he established his African charity back in 2006 commented on the gravity of the situation by saying: "There's no way of sugar-coating the damage of this, regardless of who's in the right. He'll be reeling."

Prince Harry, for his part, has elected to stay silent regarding Dr Chandauka's scathing remarks, where she referred to individuals who "play the victim card and use the very press they disdain, to harm people who have the courage to challenge their conduct".

She also branded Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's brand as "toxic", disclosed tension between herself and the Duke, and revealed she was asked by his team to shield Meghan from negative press - a request she declined. "The number one risk for this organisation was the toxicity of its lead patron's brand," Dr Chandauka told the Financial Times.

She suggested that the controversy over Prince Harry's move to the US has impacted the charity's ability to diversify its donor base and recruit senior staff. "When you start to interview people, they're asking questions about, well, these mixed messages around the patron" she remarked.

Chandauka further accused Harry and co-founder Prince Seeiso of Lesotho of trying to "force a failure" of the charity, only to then attempt to appear as its rescuers. This comes after Sentebale released a statement last week implying that "people in the field" were more significant than its trustees.

The charity stated: "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. Beneath all the victim narrative and fiction that has been syndicated to the press is the story of a woman who dared to blow the whistle about issues of poor governance, weak executive management, abuse of power, bullying, harassment, misogyny, misogynoir - and the cover-up that ensued."

Sentebale has affirmed its dedication to aiding the youth of the region, even without the support of its Royal patron. A source with ties to Sentebale's ex-trustees has dismissed Dr Chandauka's allegations as "completely baseless".

The charity and its trustees are currently embroiled in accusations of racism, sexism, and bullying levelled by the finance lawyer.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have chosen not to provide an official statement regarding the assertions made in Sophie Chandauka's interview with Trevor Phillips, as reported by Sky News. The Mirror has reached out to the Sussexes for their input.

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