Prince Harry‘s withdrawal from his African charity, Sentebale, has been criticized by Chief Khoabane Theko, the brother of the organization’s co-founder, Prince Seeiso.
Theko voiced his disappointment with the Duke of Sussex in an interview and claimed that he lost interest within the charity after marrying Meghan Markle.
Meanwhile, Sentebale chair Dr. Sophie Chandauka accused Prince Harry of “harassment” and “bullying” following his resignation.
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Chief Theko Criticizes Prince Harry’s Withdrawal From Sentebale And Loss Of Commitment To The Charity
In a recent chat with The Telegraph, Chief Khoabane Theko slammed Prince Harry, suggesting the Duke’s once-strong commitment to Sentebale, the charity he co-founded in 2006 with Theko’s brother, Prince Seeiso, has faded through the years, especially after his marriage to Meghan and exit from royal life.
Chief Theko remarked that Harry’s withdrawal had drained the energy and spirit from the organization, which the prince created to support vulnerable children and young people in Lesotho and Botswana.
Nevertheless, despite the recent development, Theko noted that Harry’s absence has been noticeable for years.
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He explained that the Duke’s last trip to Lesotho got here in October 2024, his first visit in six years. Before that, he shared that Harry had visited the country multiple times between 2010 and 2015 and infrequently spoke passionately about his late mother, Princess Diana’s, love for Africa, which inspired his early dedication to the cause.
“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,” Theko recalled. “He’s a loved figure due to his openness, but his lack of interest has totally killed the spirit of the Sentebale’s survival.”
He added pointedly, “I have not seen him [Prince Harry] since he got himself married.”
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Chief Theko Questions Prince Harry’s Exit From Sentebale And Meghan’s Absence From Lesotho
Theko noted that he had all the time seen Harry as a “very down-to-earth person” who was not “self-indulgent” during his earlier visits to Lesotho, which made his recent withdrawal from the organization much more puzzling.
“I’m surprised that he’s relinquishing the [charity] at this stage when one expected that he would jealously guard it since it’s under his mother’s legacy and I assumed he would wish to die for it,” Theko said.
Still, the chief expressed hope that Harry might in the future return to revive his role within the organization.
“Perhaps, he is ready to return after and are available fix it and get it back because I don’t consider it comes easy to him to want to offer it up, like he’s doing it’s just a little bit strange for me,” he said.
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The Lesotho royal also commented on Meghan’s absence from the region, noting that the Duchess of Sussex had never visited Lesotho.
“Did she never come to Lesotho, Meghan? No, she hasn’t. So it looks like she’s a far-away person for us, we don’t find out about her,” he said of the As Ever founder.
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The Chief Was ‘Perturbed’ When The Sussexes Visited’ Botswana But Not Lesotho’
Although Harry and Markle have traveled to several African countries, most notably a visit to Botswana for Meghan’s birthday in 2017, Theko expressed surprise and disappointment that the couple never made a stop in Lesotho, given Harry’s connection to the country.
“I used to be surprised to see them come to Botswana but not Lesotho, knowing what they’ve in Lesotho could be bringing them closer to our shores,” he said. “But they returned from Botswana and I used to be just a little bit perturbed by that.”
Theko went on to say he had expected Lesotho to be an everyday stop for the couple, especially after their marriage and Harry’s continued visits to other African nations.
“I assumed they’d do this more often,” he noted, “because he’s been visiting a whole lot of African states after their marriage.”
Prince Harry Said Quitting His Charity Was ‘Devastating’
Theko’s comments are available the wake of Harry and all the Sentebale board stepping down from the charity in March, an final result the Duke said left him feeling devastated.
In a joint statement with co-founder Prince Seeiso, the Duke acknowledged that tensions with the organization’s chair, Dr. Sophie Chandauka, had reached a breaking point.
“With heavy hearts, we’ve resigned from our roles as Patrons of the organization until further notice, in support of and solidarity with the board of trustees who’ve needed to do the identical,” Harry and Seeiso’s statement read, per the Every day Mail.
He added, “It’s devastating that the connection between the charity’s trustees and the chair of the board broke down beyond repair, creating an untenable situation.”
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Sentebale Charity Chair Accused The Duke Of ‘Harassment’
Following Harry’s departure from Sentebale, the charity’s chairwoman, Dr. Chandauka, got here forward with serious accusations, alleging that she’s been subjected to “harassment,” “bullying,” and even “misogynoir” by the organization’s former leadership.
In an interview with Sky News, Chandauka claimed that Harry and Seeiso had “unleashed” a calculated public relations effort against her after releasing the joint statement announcing their resignation without her prior knowledge or consultation.
“The one reason I’m here is because in some unspecified time in the future, Prince Harry authorized the discharge of a harmful piece of stories to the skin world without informing me or my country directors, or my executive director,” Chandauka said. “Imagine what that attack has done for me, on me and the 540 individuals within the Sentebale organizations and their famil[ies]? That’s an example of harassment and bullying at scale.”
In response, a source near the previous trustees dismissed the claims as “completely baseless,” claiming that the ex-trustees “fully expected this publicity stunt and reached their collective decision with this in mind.”
