Charity watchdog opens case into Harry’s Sentebale amid ‘concerns raised’
Last week it emerged that several trustees had left the charity in a dispute with its chairwoman.
A watchdog has escalated its investigations into “concerns raised” about a charity founded by the Duke of Sussex, amid a boardroom battle within the organisation.
The Charity Commission said it had opened a regulatory compliance case into Sentebale, a week after it emerged Harry had quit as patron.
The royal founded the organisation in honour of his mother Diana, Princess of Wales in 2006 with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho to help young people and children in southern Africa, particularly those living with HIV and Aids.
Last week it emerged that several trustees had left the charity in a dispute with its chairwoman, Sophie Chandauka, having requested her resignation.
Harry and Prince Seeiso backed the departing trustees and announced they had resigned as patrons until further notice.
They said their resignations came “with heavy hearts”, adding that it was “devastating that the relationship between the charity’s trustees and the chair of the board broke down beyond repair, creating an untenable situation”.
Ms Chandauka issued a statement in which she alleged there had been “poor governance, weak executive management, abuse of power, bullying, harassment, misogyny, misogynoir”.
She also appeared to criticise Harry for going to the press and for what she described as playing “the victim card”.
Furthermore, at the weekend Ms Chandauka claimed the duke had tried to “eject” her from the charity through “bullying” and “harassment”.
A source close to the former trustees and patrons of Sentebale dismissed Ms Chandauka’s comments as a “publicity stunt”.
The dispute, according to a report by The Times last week, arose over a decision to focus fundraising in Africa.
Former trustees Timothy Boucher, Mark Dyer – a mentor and close friend to Harry – Audrey Kgosidintsi, Kelello Lerotholi and Damian West said their decision to resign was “devastating” but was the “result of our loss in trust and confidence in the chair of the board”.
The commission said it had informed the charity on Wednesday that it had “opened a regulatory compliance case to examine concerns raised about the charity”.
This allows the watchdog to “gather evidence and assess the compliance of the charity and trustees past and present with their legal duties” and responsibilities under charity law.
It is not the same as a statutory inquiry.
The commission, which said the decision to open a case came after assessing initial concerns raised, said it is in “direct contact with parties who have raised concerns”.
Regulatory compliance cases can lead to a range of outcomes including an official warning being given to a charity or a statutory inquiry being opened, which can give the commission additional powers of investigation.
