Prince Harry is finding himself in deeper hot water after the chairperson of an African charity he co-founded accused the royal of orchestrating a bullying and harassment campaign to try to force her out.
On Tuesday, The Telegraph reported that the Duke of Sussex allegedly sent an “unpleasant” message to Dr. Sophie Chandauka, the chair of his Sentebale charity, after she refused to publicly defend Meghan Markle following an awkward exchange. The encounter in question took place at a charity polo match in Florida last April.
According to the outlet, the 40-year-old reportedly fired a message to Chandauka demanding that she “explain herself” after she refused to publicly defend his wife and squash any rumors of tensions between her and the Duchess of Sussex.
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Prince Harry is being accused of sending an “unpleasant” message to Dr. Sophie Chandauka demanding she “explain herself” after an awkward moment involving Meghan Markle captured on social media. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
Sources told the outlet that the note was “unpleasant” in tone and used “imperious language” that left Chandauka feeling “taken aback.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Archewell, which handles the offices of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, as well as Chandauka for comment.
Dr. Sophie Chandauka, chair of Sentebale, speaks during the Sentebale “Potential is Waiting” panel discussion on April 11, 2024, in Miami Beach, Florida. (Jason Koerner/Getty Images for Sentebale)
In a video clip circulated on social media, Chandauka tried to pose next to the duke as he held a trophy in one hand and had his other wrapped around Meghan. But the duchess appeared to gesture that Chandauka move farther from Harry, forcing her to duck under the silver cup to get into the photo.
The event in question took place in April 2024 in Florida. (Getty Images)
A source told The Telegraph that Meghan spent much of the day chatting with her friend, Serena Williams, occasionally asking the organizers of the event to bring her champagne. However, the outlet claimed that the Sussexes were “furious” over how the brief encounter with Chandauka appeared.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are seen arriving at the Royal Salute Polo Challenge to benefit Sentebale at the USPA National Polo Center in Wellington, Florida. (Yaroslav Sabitov/PA Images via Getty Images)
On Sunday, Chandauka took several shots at Harry, claiming that the royal’s abrupt resignation from the charity blindsided her and was “an example of harassment and bullying at scale.”
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Dr. Sophie Chandauka, a Zimbabwe-born lawyer, was appointed charity chair of Sentebale in 2023. (Brian Otieno/Getty Images for Sentebale)
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Chandauka claimed to Sky News that Harry’s Netflix deal interfered with a scheduled fundraiser and that Meghan, in particular, became a source of friction.
Prince Harry’s Netflix documentary on polo reportedly became a source of friction. (Jason Koerner/Getty Images for Sentebale)
Chandauka said a polo fundraiser scheduled in Florida almost fell apart when Harry asked to bring a camera crew along to film him for a Netflix series about the sport. She said the venue’s costs skyrocketed when it became a commercial venture, forcing them to scramble to find another host, which Harry arranged through his connections.
She noted that Meghan’s surprise appearance at the event led to the awkward moment during the trophy presentation after the match.
Netflix’s polo documentary was executive produced by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
“The international press captured this, and there was a lot of talk about the duchess and the choreography onstage and whether she should have been there and her treatment of me,” Chandauka said.
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, attends the One805 Rock for Responders benefit at The Granada Theatre on March 08, 2025, in Santa Barbara, California. The prince has found himself under unwanted scrutiny following new claims made by Dr. Sophie Chandauka. (Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)
She said she rejected Harry’s request that she issue a statement in support of Meghan because “we cannot be an extension of the Sussexes.”
A source close to the production noted that the production crew, which was already filming the documentary about polo with Harry, reached out to Chandauka to request permission to film at the event.
Prince Harry is said to be “heartbroken” over the charity fallout. (Brian Otieno/Getty Images for Sentebale)
When Chandauka learned that the cost to use the original venue had increased following the request, Harry’s pal, polo player Nacho Figueras, who was also in the documentary, helped secure a different venue through a connection that he and Harry shared, they said. The team also connected the charity with at least one additional player who paid to participate in the event.
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The Duchess of Sussex presents the trophy to her husband, the Duke of Sussex, after his team, the Royal Salute Sentebale Team, defeated the Grand Champions Team, in the Royal Salute Polo Challenge, to benefit Sentebale, at The USPA National Polo Center in Wellington, Florida. (Yaroslav Sabitov/PA Images via Getty Images)
The source argued that in the end, Sentebale had a more favorable arrangement and was positively featured in the documentary, which further helped highlight its efforts.
Chandauka further claimed there was a significant drop in donors after Harry and Meghan left royal duties in 2020 and moved to California.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back as senior royals in 2020 and moved to California. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
She claimed that the drama surrounding the split between the Sussexes and the royal family had become a major risk to the charity. And as tensions with the Sussexes mounted, Chandauka claimed she had been a victim of “this unleashing of the Sussex machine,” referring to Harry’s public relations team.
Britain’s Prince Harry, left, and wife, Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, kiss as she presents members of his polo team with the trophy for winning the Royal Salute Polo Challenge to Benefit Sentebale on Friday, April 12, 2024, in Wellington, Florida. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Chandauka claimed Harry wanted to “eject” her from Sentebale, stating, “This went on for months, it went on through bullying, harassment,” as quoted by The Times.
“When that failed, Prince Harry and his team started to brief sponsors against me and the charity because that is a sure way of getting me out if it’s seen as though I’m not being successful in my fundraising efforts,” she added.
Prince Harry with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho in the Maluti Mountains on December 8, 2014, in Mokhotlong, Lesotho. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images for Sentebale)
According to The Times, Chandauka also claimed that Harry had “effectively pushed through” the immediate appointment of a new board member without consulting her.
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Dr. Sophie Chandauka MBE (center), Chair of Sentebale, Nacho Figueras (left), Sentebale Ambassador and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex (right), Co-Founding Patron of Sentebale, pose for a photo during the Sentebale ISPS Handa Polo Cup on August 12, 2023, in Singapore. ( Matt Jelonek/Getty Images for Sentebale)
“Everybody is shocked and quiet,” she said. “But this is what happens when the prince is in the room, and no one has the courage to speak.”
Chaundauka said her relationship with Harry had generally been “fantastic.” Still, there were “some individuals on the board who thought they could get away with mistreating a woman.”
Sophie Chandauka said she had been a victim of “this unleashing of the Sussex machine.” (Getty Images)
Harry cited a breakdown in the relationship between board members and Chandauka when he resigned as patron of the charity he co-founded nearly 20 years ago in memory of his late mother, Princess Diana.
Sentebale was founded in honor of Prince Harry’s late mother, Princess Diana. (Terry Fincher/Princess Diana Archive)
Harry and co-founder Prince Seeiso of Lesotho said in a joint statement that they quit “with heavy hearts” as patrons in support of the trustees in their dispute with Chandauka.
“It is devastating that the relationship between the charity’s trustees and the chair of the board broke down beyond repair, creating an untenable situation,” the princes said. “In turn, she sued the charity to remain in this voluntary position, further underscoring the broken relationship.”
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex signed a deal with Netflix in 2020. (Toby Melville/Getty Images)
A source familiar with events countered Chandauka’s claims, noting that Harry and Seeiso sent a resignation letter to the chair and trustees on March 10. A source close to the trustees and patrons noted that they expected what they described as this publicity stunt and remained adamant in their resignation for the charity’s sake.
PRINCE HARRY ALLEGEDLY ASKED CHAIRWOMAN OF HIS FORMER CHARITY TO PUBLICLY DEFEND MEGHAN MARKLE
Prince Seeiso of Lesotho and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, attend a welcome event at Sentebale’s Mamohato Children’s Centre featuring the non-profit’s Let Youth Lead advocates from Botswana, and a celebration of Basatho culture, on October 1, 2024, in Maseru, Lesotho. (Brian Otieno/Getty Images for Sentebale)
A friend of Harry’s told The Times that the prince was “distraught,” while another “long-serving trustee” called Chandauka’s claims “total bollocks.”
A source familiar with the charity and trustee’s plans also told the outlet that each former trustee had been asked to submit a report to the Charity Commission. One report included concerns about Chandauka’s governance and details her “manipulation of minutes to endorse her false claims of bullying and misogyny.”
Royal experts previously told Fox News Digital that the claims against Prince Harry are damaging to his reputation. (Hannah McKay – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
A source close to Chandauka denied the claim.
From left: Alix Lebec, Founder & CEO of Lebec, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Co-Founding Patron of Sentebale and Dr. Sophie Chandauka MBE, Chair of Sentebale, speak during the Sentebale “Potential is Waiting” panel discussion on April 11, 2024, in Miami Beach, Florida. (Photo by Jason Koerner/Getty Images for Sentebale)
Sources also told the outlet that they were worried about the charity’s future because available funds had fallen below its $776,283 safety threshold since Chandauka, a Zimbabwe-born lawyer, was appointed in 2023.
A source close to Chandauka confirmed the figure to The Times but also pointed out that Sentebale was also awaiting the $1.75 million that had been pledged.
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, previously faced accusations of bullying, which her team denied. (Akintunde Akinleye/Reuters)
According to The Times, Harry has helped raise nearly $16 million for Sentebale and has donated more than $1 million of the proceeds from his memoir “Spare” to the charity.
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Prince Harry’s memoir “Spare” was published in 2023. (JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
A friend told the outlet that Harry hopes to be involved with Sentebale again if Chandauka leaves.
“What Harry has made clear is he’s not walking away from Sentebale — he is just not currently able to fulfill his role,” the pal explained.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex reside in the wealthy, coastal city of Montecito with their two young children. (Getty Images)
“If there’s a choice for them to carry on in the way they were, then he’d want that. Harry’s commitment to the people and the issues is ongoing. People will just need to look at the facts, which the Charity Commission will do, and the facts haven’t come out yet.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Stephanie Nolasco covers entertainment at Foxnews.com.
