Prince Harry has been accused of “harassment and bullying at scale” by the chair of his African AIDS charity Sentebale, after he and several others quit the organisation earlier this week.
Sophie Chanduaka made the allegation after claiming the Duke of Sussex tried to use the organisation as “an extension of the Sussex PR machine”.
Speaking to Trevor Phillips in an interview to be broadcast on Sky's Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, she said: "The only reason I'm here... is because at some point on Tuesday, Prince Harry authorised the release of a damaging piece of news to the outside world without informing me or my country directors, or my executive director.
"And can you imagine what that attack has done for me, on me and the 540 individuals in the Sentebale organisations and their family?
"That is an example of harassment and bullying at scale."
It comes as Prince Harry revealed he was stepping away from the charity earlier this week, citing a “broken relationship” between the board and its chairman.
Ms Chanduaka earlier alleged she was asked by the Duke’s team to defend his wife Meghan Markle from negative media coverage, but refused to do so because she did not want to set a precedent to act as an “extension of the Sussex PR machine”, she told the Financial Times.
Sky News reported that one of its sources, “close to the former trustees of the Sentebale charity”, said that Ms Chanduaka’s accusation of bullying and the “Sussex machine” were completely baseless.
Following the Duke’s departure, Ms Chandauka launched legal action against the charity after the board of trustees attempted to remove her from her position.
In a joint statement, Sentebale co-founders Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho said: “These trustees acted in the best interest of the charity in asking the chair to step down, while keeping the wellbeing of staff in mind. In turn, she sued the charity to remain in this voluntary position, further underscoring the broken relationship.”
Tensions between Ms Chandauka and the Sussexes reportedly stem from an awkward moment on stage at a Sentebale charity polo match last year. During a photo opportunity, Meghan was filmed asking Ms Chandauka to move to her left, away from Prince Harry, causing her to duck beneath the Prince’s arm in a widely publicised clip.
Sentebale was set up in 2006 by Harry to help children and young people in southern Africa, particularly those with HIV and AIDS.
It was launched after Harry spent two months in Lesotho during his gap year in 2004.
