It was widely seen as the charity closest to Prince Harry’s heart. Founded in 2006, when he was just 22 years old, Sentebale – meaning “forget-me-not” in Sesotho – was a deeply personal tribute to his late mother Princess Diana, and her tireless humanitarian work, especially with HIV/AIDS patients.

But nearly two decades later, the Duke of Sussex has dramatically parted ways with the organisation he co-founded with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho. The move comes amid a bitter fallout with Sentebale’s chair, Dr Sophie Chandauka, who has publicly accused Harry of “harassment and bullying at scale,” and labelled the Sussex brand as “toxic” – allegations strongly denied by the Duke.

The split appears to have been months in the making. In May, it was confirmed that both Harry and Seeiso had stepped down as patrons of the charity. But the full story only came to light following an explosive interview with Dr Chandauka, who spoke candidly to Sky News about tensions within the charity and a particularly controversial incident involving Meghan Markle at a 2023 Sentebale polo fundraiser in Florida.

According to Dr Chandauka, the Duchess of Sussex arrived unannounced at the event alongside Serena Williams and a Netflix crew, disrupting the event’s carefully planned choreography. Footage from the trophy ceremony went viral, showing Meghan moving Dr Chandauka aside to kiss Harry on stage, an awkward moment that has since been revisited in a new, more critical light.

Dr Chandauka claims she was later asked by Prince Harry to issue a public statement in support of Meghan, but she refused. “Not because I didn’t care about the duchess,” she explained, “but because I knew what would happen if I did, and because we cannot be an extension of the Sussexes.”

Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams described the charity split as a “painful blow” to Harry, whose most meaningful work has often been in the philanthropic space. “His comfort zone is his charity work,” Fitzwilliams told MailOnline. “It was a joy to see him at the WellChild Awards last year. He genuinely enjoyed being with the children – it felt like the old Harry was back.”

However, Fitzwilliams also noted that Harry appears to be “increasingly the spare” not just in royal life, but even within his marriage. While Meghan’s ambitions—including TV ventures and startup investments—aim for billionaire status, Harry is perceived as lacking the same “ruthlessness” that drives his wife’s career path.

“He’s made a number of mistakes,” Fitzwilliams added, citing Harry’s BBC interview after his court defeat over security arrangements and his “angry, ill-judged” memoir Spare.

Despite the rift with Sentebale, Prince Harry remains active in several philanthropic efforts. He continues to lead the Invictus Games Foundation, support the HALO Trust—another of Diana’s legacies—and heads Travalyst, a sustainable travel initiative. In November 2023, he also became global ambassador for Scotty’s Little Soldiers, a charity supporting children who’ve lost parents in military service.

Even as his commercial ventures remain under wraps, it’s clear Prince Harry’s heart still lies with causes rooted in service—though his departure from Sentebale marks a painful and public chapter in his post-royal life.