NEED TO KNOW<\/p>\n
Prince Harry<\/a> will not be returning to Sentebale<\/a>, the HIV\/AIDS charity he co-founded nearly two decades ago, amid ongoing fallout from a bitter leadership dispute<\/a>, PEOPLE understands.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n Sources close to the charity told The Times<\/a> that any prospect of the Duke of Sussex, 41, re-engaging with Sentebale has now been \u201ccompletely extinguished,\u201d describing the organization as \u201ctoo tarnished\u201d following months of public infighting, resignations and staff cuts.\n<\/p>\n In a statement to PEOPLE on Jan 2, a spokesperson for the Duke of Sussex said Harry raised concerns through formal channels before stepping away from the charity.\n<\/p>\n \u201cThe Duke has made multiple representations to the Charity Commission, setting out his concerns regarding Sentebale\u2019s governance and, in the interests of its beneficiary community, has urged the appropriate regulatory bodies to maintain close oversight of the charity\u2019s activities,\u201d the spokesperson said.\n<\/p>\n PEOPLE has reached out to Sentebale for comment.\n<\/p>\n Prince Seeiso of Lesotho and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex at Sentebale’s Mamohato Children’s Centre on October 1, 2024 in Maseru, Lesotho.<\/p>\n Brian Otieno\/Getty<\/p>\n Sentebale, which Harry co-founded in 2006 with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho in honor of his mother Princess Diana<\/a>, has reportedly been grappling with a funding crisis since Harry and his co-founder stepped down as patrons in March<\/a>. Their departures followed a highly public dispute with Sentebale chair Dr. Sophie Chandauka, who accused Harry of bullying, racism and misogyny \u2014 allegations he has denied.\n<\/p>\n The dispute spilled into the public domain and was later criticized by the Charity Commission, which said the dispute had \u201cseverely impacted the charity\u2019s reputation.\u201d Trustees resigned en masse during the fallout.\n<\/p>\n The Charity Commission ultimately faulted both sides for allowing the dispute to play out publicly, further compounding reputational damage at a time when the charity\u2019s finances were already under pressure.\n<\/p>\n According to published accounts cited by The Times, Sentebale\u2019s reserves dropped sharply in 2024, with just $278,000 in the bank by December after liabilities were taken into account \u2014 down from $2 million roughly 16 months earlier. The charity acknowledged that the figure was close to its minimum reserve level and warned that programs could shrink by the end of 2026 without new funding.\n<\/p>\n Prince Harry Duke of Sussex and and Dr. Sophie Chandauka peak during the Sentebale Potential is Waiting on April 11, 2024 in Miami Beach, Florida.<\/p>\n Jason Koerner\/Getty<\/p>\n Redundancies have followed across multiple countries. Reports indicate that roughly one in five employees in Botswana were laid off, including the country director, while nearly all London-based staff were dismissed in August. Local reports in Lesotho have suggested the charity\u2019s headquarters has been \u201ceffectively mothballed,\u201d a claim Sentebale disputes, maintaining that the center remains fully operational.\n<\/p>\n The organization has said the cuts were part of a cost-saving plan aimed at reducing expenses by $1.3 million and that redundancies in Botswana had been planned as early as 2023, prior to the leadership dispute.\n<\/p>\n