Prince Harry is facing allegations of bullying from the chair of a charity he co-founded, Sophie Chandauka. Chandauka accused Harry of harassing and bullying her to force her out of her role as chair of the board of trustees after she refused to issue a statement in support of his wife, Meghan, at a polo match last year.
The dispute between Chandauka and five other board members led to their resignations, citing loss of “trust and confidence” in her leadership. Harry and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, the charity’s co-founder, announced their resignation as patron and chairman in joint statement, blaming the relationship breakdown on Chandauka.
Chandauka claimed that Harry demanded she issue a statement supporting Meghan at the polo match, but she refused, citing concerns about the charity becoming an extension of the Sussexes. The incident allegedly occurred despite the presence of a camera crew filming a Netflix documentary for which the couple has a production deal.
The dispute has landed in court and before Britain’s Charity Commission, with both sides filing claims of wrongdoing. Chandauka also accused Harry of using his influence to damage the charity after he failed to oust her from the board post.
Chandauka described the experience as “devastating” and said she felt betrayed by some members of the board who mistreated her. She maintained that her relationship with Harry had been generally positive but acknowledged that there were individuals on the board who sought to undermine her leadership.
The allegations have sparked controversy surrounding Prince Harry’s involvement in the charity and his handling of conflicts with other board members. The incident has raised questions about the boundaries between a royal patron and the charity they support, as well as the influence of external factors on charitable organizations.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/30/world/europe/prince-harry-accused-bullying-charity.html