Prince Harry‘s Sentebale charity chairwoman, Dr. Sophie Chandauka, alleged that Meghan Markle‘s 2024 charity event appearance caused “disruptions.”
She also claimed in a brand new interview that the Duke of Sussex pressured her to issue a press release in support of the duchess, which she refused.
This comes after she accused Prince Harry of covering up bullying allegations at their charity shortly after the royal stepped down from his role on the organization.
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Meghan Markle’s Surprise Appearance At Charity Event Cause A Disruption
In a revealing recent interview, Dr. Chandauka reflected on a 2024 charity event where Meghan’s appearance alongside Serena Williams caused a stir and led to logistical challenges on stage.
In keeping with Dr. Chandauka, Meghan had initially confirmed she wouldn’t be attending the Royal Salute Paolo Challenge in Florida. Nevertheless, she is alleged to have arrived unannounced with the tennis star, resulting in last-minute disruptions.
Through the event, Meghan allegedly made suggestions in regards to the stage arrangement, twice requesting Dr. Chandauka to maneuver away from Prince Harry’s side. This led to an ungainly reshuffling of attendees, with Dr. Chandauka having to reposition herself across the trophy.
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Chatting with Sky News’ Trevor Phillips, Dr. Chandauka noted that the unplanned appearance created coordination issues.
“We might have been really excited had we known ahead of time [Meghan was coming], but we didn’t,” she explained. “And so the choreography went badly on stage because we had too many individuals on stage.”
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The Duke Allegedly Asked The Charity Organization’s Chairwoman To Defend Meghan Markle
The Duch, 42, ordered people across the stage after handing Harry, 39, a trophy.
< She requested the well-dressed woman in a… pic.twitter.com/RlIEQ0F1tq
— HarrysGreySuit (@hrrysgreysuit) April 13, 2024
The event drew media scrutiny, with reports specializing in Meghan’s presence and interactions on stage.
Dr. Chandauka further revealed that Harry later requested she release a public statement supporting Meghan, but she declined.
“Not because I didn’t care in regards to the Duchess,” she clarified. “But because I knew what would occur if I did so, primary. And number two, because we can’t be an extension of the Sussexes.”
This comes as Harry announced his departure from Sentebale, the charity he co-founded with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho in 2006, following internal conflicts inside the organization.
Several trustees also resigned alongside him as tensions inside the charity’s leadership escalated.
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Prince Harry’s Exit From Sentebale Sparks Allegations Of A ‘Bullying’ Cover-Up
Beyond Meghan’s appearance on the charity event, Dr. Chandauka, who has served as Sentebale’s chair since 2023, accused Harry of being involved in what she described as a “cover-up” regarding an internal investigation into allegations of bullying, harassment, and misogyny inside the organization.
She further claimed that the “toxicity” surrounding his public image had negatively affected the charity’s operations.
Nevertheless, a source near the previous trustees dismissed Dr. Chandauka’s allegations as “completely baseless.”
In keeping with the Every day Mail, the source denied claims that she had been bullied or harassed by Harry or that she had been subjected to coordinated efforts to undermine her.
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Dr. Chandauka Claims Prince Harry’s Netflix Request Derailed Charity Event
Dr. Chandauka also alleged that Harry’s insistence on bringing a Netflix camera crew to a planned charity polo event in Miami ultimately led to its cancellation.
In keeping with Chandauka, a few month before the event, Harry contacted the Sentebale team, expressing his desire to incorporate footage from the event in his Netflix series.
“Prince Harry called the team and said, ‘I’m doing a Netflix show, and I’d like to bring a camera crew in order that I can include some footage on this show,” she recalled.
Nevertheless, she argued that the choice was made without consulting key stakeholders.
“And so the team called me and told me, ‘Oh, Prince Harry’s made this request, so we’re doing the thing. I said, you’ll be able to’t be doing the things without searching for consent from the property owners, the sponsors, all of the guests. No person signed as much as being on a Netflix show,” Dr. Chandauka recalled.
She noted that negotiations with the venue quickly fell apart once the owners reclassified the event as a business endeavor.
“We give you draft agreements and naturally, the venue owner says that is now a business undertaking,” she continued. “So listed here are my terms. We couldn’t afford it. So now we lost the venue.”
In a striking message to Harry, Dr. Chandauka reportedly asserted Sentebale’s independence from him, stating: “The team is resolved that Sentebale will live to tell the tale, with or without you.”
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Sentebale Feud Is A Major Blow To Prince Harry, Royal Expert Claims
Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams weighed in on the controversy surrounding Meghan’s surprise appearance on the polo game.
Fitzwilliams also commented on the broader implications of the Sentebale dispute, calling it a big setback for Harry.
He said, “The ferocious feud that has split Sentebale, which Prince Harry co-founded in memory of his beloved mother, Princess Diana, might be a bitter blow to him, as he now has no link with a charity that he has been involved with since 2006, when he co-founded it.”
The royal expert further drew parallels between the allegations against Harry and former accusations against Meghan, each of which have been strongly denied.
“Harry has been accused of ‘bullying and harassment.’ There are echoes here of the allegations against Meghan, which appeared within the Times before the infamous interview they gave on Oprah, which she strongly denied,” Fitzwilliams identified, per the Every day Mail.
He noted that the controversy has resurfaced in recent reports by top U.S. publications, which “will certainly adversely affect the Sussexes image.”
