‘Work continues’: Sentebale issues statement after Prince Harry’s resignation

Hours after it was reported that  Prince Harry has quit as a patron of Sentebale, the British charity has issued a statement, saying it will continue its work.

Harry resigned from the charity which he set up to help young people with HIV and AIDS in Lesotho and Botswana, following a dispute between trustees and the chair of the board that he called “devastating”.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Sentebale said, “It’s the incredible teams on the ground—our staff and local partners—who bring our mission to life every day, walking alongside the children and young people we serve.”

“While Trustees are key for governance and regulation, and Patrons—especially Founders—are an honour to have, it’s the people in the field who are advancing the work, no matter what.”

“Our commitment to supporting youth in Southern Africa with better health, stronger livelihoods, and climate resilience remains as strong as ever. The work continues because they deserve nothing less.”.

Harry, the younger son of King Charles, co-founded Sentebale in honour of his mother Princess Diana in 2006, nine years after she was killed in a Paris car crash. Sentebale means “forget-me-not” in the local language of Lesotho in southern Africa.

Co-founder Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, as well as the board of trustees, joined Harry in leaving Sentebale until further notice following a dispute with chair Sophie Chandauka, who has reported the trustees to Britain’s Charity Commission.

“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,” Harry and Seeiso said in a joint statement published by British media on Wednesday.

Harry, who lives in California with his wife Meghan and two children, stopped working as a member of the royal family in 2020. He has been involved in charitable causes in Africa for many years and visited Nigeria last year.