Prince Harry ‘lost interest' in African charity after marrying Meghan
The Duke of Sussex lost interest in the African country where his Sentebale charity was founded after marrying the Duchess of Sussex and moving to the US, it has been claimed.
The Duke's fading attention 'killed the spirit' of the charity after he married Meghan in 2018 and emigrated in 2020, according to the brother of Prince Seeiso, his co-founder.
Sentebale was founded by the pair in 2006 to honour the legacy of the Duke's mother Diana, Princess of Wales. But last month they both stepped down following a string of allegations from Sophie Chandauka, the charity's chairman.
The Duke's last visit to Lesotho, in October 2024, was his first in six years. He used to come more frequently, making four trips between June 2010 and the end of 2015.
Chief Khoabane Theko, Prince Seeiso's brother, said he was 'perturbed' when the Duke and Duchess took holidays in Africa but failed to visit Lesotho.
Speaking to The Telegraph a few minutes' drive from Sentebale's Mamohato Children's Centre in Thaba Bosiu, the chief suggested the Duke of Sussex could have visited 'more often'.
He said: 'When [Sentebale] was launched, I remember his words quite vividly, because he was very strong in saying 'my mother, this place, her passion about Africa' and all that.'
The chief, who was not aware Prince Harry had visited Lesotho twice since his marriage, said: 'He's a loved figure because of his openness, but his loss of interest has totally killed the spirit of the Sentebale's survival, I think so – this is my thinking.'
He added: 'I haven't seen him [Prince Harry] since he got himself married.'
The row over Sentebale erupted after Ms Chandauka, a Zimbabwe-born corporate finance lawyer, accused the charity's board of harassment, bullying and 'misogynoir' – a form of misogyny against black woman.
She also claimed the Duke of Sussex tried to use the charity as 'an extension of the Sussex PR machine' to support his wife's public reputation.
In response, the Duke said the events had been 'heartbreaking to witness', adding that 'such blatant lies hurt those who have invested decades' into the shared goal of supporting young people and children in southern Africa.
On Wednesday, it emerged that the charity is facing further upheaval after a newly appointed member of the board quit amid the 'unexpected and sustained' media attention.
Dr Margaret Ikpoh, an East Yorkshire-based GP, was named a trustee last month following the mass resignations of Prince Harry and the board.
However, she stepped down earlier this month in the wake of intense scrutiny prompted by the bitter boardroom row.
A Sentebale spokesman said: 'This is a particularly difficult time to have joined the organisation, given the unexpected sustained and intrusive media attention.
'She has chosen to step down out of respect for her family and other professional commitments, which we fully understand, respect and support. We deeply appreciate her interest in Sentebale over a long period of time and look forward to staying in touch.'
Chief Theko, who is also chief whip of the upper chamber of Lesotho's parliament, said it was 'strange' that the Duke had himself left the charity over the row.
He said: 'I'm surprised that he's relinquishing the [charity] at this stage when one expected that he would jealously guard it, because it's under his mother's legacy and I thought he would want to die for it,' he said.
'Unless, maybe, he is prepared to come after and come fix it and get it back because I do not believe it comes easy to him to want to give it up, like he's doing – it's a little bit strange for me.'
The Charity Commission is investigating the governance of the organisation following Ms Chandauka's allegations.
Last month, Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso stepped down from the charity alongside the board of trustees.
In a joint statement, they claimed Ms Chandauka had been asked to resign but she had refused, leaving the relationship between trustees and the chair of the board broken down 'beyond repair'.
Ms Chandauka took aim at the Duchess of Sussex, with whom she shared an awkward interaction at a polo match in April 2024 where she appeared to tell Ms Chandauka to move away from her husband.
The moment did not go unnoticed and Ms Chandauka has claimed Prince Harry asked her to release a statement 'in support' of the Duchess.
But Ms Chandauka refused, saying last month: 'I said no, we're not setting a precedent by which we become an extension of the Sussex PR machine.'
Sentebale's website describes the organisation as working 'with young people and their communities to create sustainable solutions that address issues of health, wealth inequity, and climate resilience in Lesotho and Botswana'.
The Duke was inspired to set up Sentebale, which means 'forget-me-not' in Sesotho, the local language, after spending two months in Lesotho during his gap year in 2004.
He has held a number of fundraising polo events for the charity and attended a reception at a New York gallery to raise money for it as recently as December.
Founded in memory of the Duke's late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, the charity supports children affected by HIV in the two countries – a cause close to the Princess's heart.
Prince Harry's last visit in October was described by his office as involving a 'series of impactful events'.
Travelling with Prince Seeiso and Ms Chandauka, the Duke took part in a 'fireside chat' in which he praised the charity's work so far.
Prince Harry also met the country's King, Queen and prime minister during the trip, which he took without his wife.
It was the first visit the Duke had made to the landlocked, mountainous country since the Sussexes stepped down as working royals and moved to the United States in 2020.
Before then, he took a solo trip to the country in June 2018 – a month after his wedding to the Duchess – in what was described as a 'private trip' by Kensington Palace.
'She seems like a far-away person to us'
Since then, Prince Harry has been busy with writing his best-selling memoirs, Spare, raising his two children and engaging in various legal battles against UK newspaper publishers and attempting to prove he should be entitled to police protection while in the UK.
The Duchess meanwhile has been promoting her food and lifestyle brand As Ever, as well as filing a tell-all Netflix documentary with her husband and her own series With Love, Meghan.
The chief said: 'Did she never come to Lesotho, Meghan? No she hasn't. So it seems like she's a far-away person for us, we do not know about her.'
The couple have an affinity for Africa and have holidayed on the continent frequently, including in Botswana in 2017 to celebrate Meghan's 37th birthday.
In 2019, they visited South Africa – which surrounds Lesotho – on their first royal tour.
The Duchess stayed in Cape Town with their son Archie, who was then aged four months, while Prince Harry travelled to Angola, Malawi and Botswana where he visited a Sentebale project.
The couple brought along a camera crew from ITV to film a documentary, in which the Duchess memorably said that 'not many people have asked if I'm okay'.
'I was a little bit perturbed'
Chief Theko said: 'I was surprised to see them come to Botswana but not Lesotho, knowing what they have in Lesotho would be bringing them closer to our shores.
'But they returned from Botswana and I was a little bit perturbed by that.'
Asked if he thought the couple would visit Lesotho more frequently, Chief Theko said: 'I thought they would do that more often, because he's been visiting a lot of African states after their marriage.'
Prince Harry became a familiar face in the community, with Chief Theko describing him as a 'very down-to-earth person' who was not 'self-indulgent' and was 'everybody's friend'.
In the months leading up to Mamohato Children's Centre being opened in the mountainous landscape of Thaba Bosiu in 2015, neighbouring residents say they were told they would be promised jobs.
However, several people told The Telegraph that longer-term roles have instead been handed to applicants in other districts.
One worker, a housekeeper for the charity, said she has never been given a long-term contract by Sentebale and instead relies on short-term contracts for 150 Lesotho Loti (LSL) a day – around £6.
The average monthly salary in Lesotho is 11,800 LSL, the equivalent of 78 days' work for the housekeeper.
'Not treated well because of management'
Speaking through a translator from her sparsely furnished concrete-block home, she said: 'I think the reason we are not treated well as workers is because of the management, not because Sentebale does not have money.'
The worker was keen to remain anonymous owing to instructions given to staff following the row among the charity's board.
Makeabetsoe Khomo-ea-majoe, 38, took a role as a housekeeper when the centre opened in 2015 but was not given a full-time contract.
Also speaking through a translator, she said: 'If you don't go to work, either being sick or otherwise you are regarded to be absent at work therefore you can't earn anything for that day.'
When asked about Prince Harry, Ms Khomo-ea-majoe said she remembered preparations for one of his visits to the centre.
However, she said she and other housekeepers were instructed to stay away and inside rooms.
She said she was 'disappointed' as she had been 'excited to see the Prince' and wondered if it was because her and her colleagues did not have uniforms.
Eventually, her job was cut in late 2018, along with several other fellow employees.
Other workers spoke of community assets they lost to the opening of the centre.
'Not serving the community'
Ralebenya Khomo-ea-Majoe, the father-in-law of the former housekeeper, said the centre was 'not serving the community'.
He said: 'The place was a football pitch before Sentebale came and we were told that we will still be able to access the place even after the development.
'Our kids used to play soccer there and there are some trees that the community used for firewood during funerals and ceremonies.
'We are no longer allowed to access the place at all as the community.'
However, two teenagers who attended one of the centre's workshops as children praised it.
Speaking at his modest home, Khitieone Lefela, remembered the three-day event he took part in as a 15-year-old.
Now 18, he said: 'It was really nice and luxurious, the workshop was basically playing and singing – and the staff were all friendly.'
'They would find something that defines some talent that they can see you have.
'For some, it would be football and others might be good at singing – you came home feeling like you had grown more.'
'Not a solution to shut charity'
His friend Mpoi Matjeane, now 19, who attended the same workshop said: 'We were with other kids and those taking care of us made us feel that we are kids.'
Khitieone's father, Tsolo Qhomane, said: 'The kids enjoy it, they sleep in beds, they have showers.
'They [usually] wash in a bucket. So they didn't have any experience of washing in a shower.'
He had applied for a job as a driver when the centre was opened – a role for which he said he was fully qualified.
Like others, Mr Qhomane said it was 'not the solution' to shut the whole charity down and that it made him 'sad' to see Prince Harry step down.
He added: 'He will have his reasons, he will have seen there is something wrong there.
'I don't think he is wrong because there will be reasons that he's stepped down – maybe that we won't know.
'But, yes, I find it sad, because we are seeing this rot.'
Carmel Galliard, Sentebale's executive director, said: 'Sentebale did promise and continues to be committed to employing locally whenever possible.
'Consequently, all of our Mamohato Children's Centre (Sentebale – Lesotho) grounds-keeping, hospitality, catering, driving and security staff are Thaba Bosiu locals.
'Our commitment to growing a truly locally led organisation is demonstrated throughout the organisation, with the most significant change being a relocation of the most senior roles, including the executive director role, to southern Africa.'
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