The chairwoman of the charity Sentebale, set up by Prince Harry to help young people with HIV and AIDS in Lesotho and Botswana, has accused him of harassment after he quit earlier this week, Reuters and AFP reported, quoted by BTA.
The younger son of Britain's King Charles III is a co-founder of Sentebale, which was founded in 2006 in honor of his late mother, Princess Diana. Harry stepped down along with co-founder Prince Seeso of Lesotho and the board of directors after a dispute with chairwoman Sophie Chandauka.
In an interview with "Sky News" television, which is set to air today, Chandauka talks about how the Duke of Sussex resigned. "On Tuesday, Prince Harry authorised the release of damaging news without informing me, my country's directors or the CEO," she said. "Can you imagine the impact this attack has had on me and the 540 people in Sentebale and their families?" Chandauka asked. "This is bullying on a grand scale," she said.
Representatives for Harry and his wife Meghan did not respond to a request for comment from Reuters. Sky News also confirmed that the couple had declined to comment on the interview with Chandauka.
A source close to the charity's trustees and patrons, including Prince Harry, said they were expecting what they described as a "publicity stunt," Reuters reported. A statement released on Wednesday said it was "devastating" that the relationship between Sentebale's trustees and Chandauka had deteriorated irreparably.
Chandauka had previously said the organisation had been plagued by "poor governance, weak executive management, abuse of power, harassment, abuse and misogyny", Reuters recalls.
In an interview with the Financial Times published on Saturday, she revealed that Harry's team had asked her to defend Meghan Markle after negative media coverage, but she refused. Chandauka also said Sentebale's current governance model was "no longer appropriate".
On Wednesday, Harry and Seeso said the trustees had acted in the charity's best interests by asking Chandauka to step down, but she has filed a lawsuit to keep her position, Reuters reports.