Harry & Meghan are a ‘toxic brand’ – ‘catastrophic’ charity scandal shows how difficult they are, expert slams
PRINCE Harry and Meghan Markle’s “catastrophic” charity scandal has shown they are a “toxic brand”, a royal expert has claimed.
Sentebale’s Dr Sophie Chandauka had accused Harry of “harassment and bullying at scale” after he and other trustees quit the charity last week.
Harry created it in 2006 to continue mum Diana’s work helping people in southern Africa living with HIV and Aids.
But the saga erupted last week when the Duke of Sussex resigned as patron alongside Seeiso and the entire board of trustees.
Dr Sophie claims he tried to push her out for months, even briefing against her to donors – all because she refused to defend Meghan publicly.
She also called the the brand “toxic”, all claims Harry’s camp call “baseless” as well as saying he’s “heartbroken” over the split.
Speaking on The Sun’s Royal Exclusive show, royal commentator Phil Dampier, weighed in on his thoughts regarding recent developments.
He told Matt Wilkinson: “It has been a catastrophic few days for Harry and Meghan hasn’t it.
“I think their reputation is already fairly low but to have a black woman who is head of your charity accuse you of the very things other people have accused you of for many years – it couldn’t get much worse really.
“I expected Dr Chandauka has her faults and maybe she’s not perfect but this is unfortunately following a pattern of allegations of bullying”.
Mr Dampier referenced bullying allegations against Meghan that the “palace hushed up”at the time.
He also mentioned the “revolving door of staff” who don’t seem to work for Harry and Meghan for “more than five minutes”.
The royal commentator: “There was also the Spotify scandal who called them ‘grifters’.
“It’s following a pattern that they are very difficult people to work for if not bullies.”
News commentator Samara Gill agreed with Mr Dampier’s assessment of Harry and Meghan’s brand further plumetting.
She said: “It’s a story we have heard so many times, it is no surprise.
“They aren’t becoming a toxic brand – they are!
“I think what Dr Sophie gives is credibility, she’s worked at Meta and been a high-powered solicitor for a long time.
“Dr Sophie has been in a lot of stressful environments and it says a lot that Harry and Meghan are the ones to tip her over the edge.”
But, as The Sun revealed, the backlash against Dr Chandauka has hit hard, forcing her to shut down her Twitter after shameful trolling from Sussex fans.
This included vile racist slurs and wild conspiracy theories that she is being paid by William and Kate.
What is Sentebale?
Sentebale was set up to support those living in poverty, as well as those suffering from Aids and HIV, in Lesotho.
Prince Harry started the charity in honour of his mum, Princess Diana, who died in 1997.
He met his co-founder Prince Seeiso while on his gap year in 2004.
The word Sentebale means “forget-me-not” in Sesotho, the local language of Lesotho.
Today the Charity Commission confirmed it had opened a regulatory compliance case over “concerns raised”.
Last week it emerged that several trustees had left the charity in a dispute with its chairwoman, Sophie Chandauka, having requested her resignation.
Harry and Prince Seeiso backed the departing trustees and announced they had resigned as patrons until further notice.
They said their resignations came “with heavy hearts”, adding that it was “devastating that the relationship between the charity’s trustees and the chair of the board broke down beyond repair, creating an untenable situation”.
The Duke of Sussex said the fallout of his resignation as patron of Sentebale has been “heartbreaking to witness” and that he hoped the Charity Commission would “unveil the truth that collectively forced us to resign”.
Ms Chandauka issued a statement in which she alleged there had been “poor governance, weak executive management, abuse of power, bullying, harassment, misogyny, misogynoir”.
She also appeared to criticise Harry for going to the press and for what she described as playing “the victim card”.
Prince Harry's full statement on watchdog probe
Prince Harry said in a statement: “From the inception of Sentebale nearly 20 years ago, Prince Seeiso and I have had a clear goal: to support the children and young people in Southern Africa in memory of our mothers.
“What has transpired over the last week has been heartbreaking to witness, especially when such blatant lies hurt those who have invested decades in this shared goal.
“No one suffers more than the beneficiaries of Sentebale itself.
“On behalf of the former trustees and patrons, we share in the relief that the Charity Commission confirmed they will be conducting a robust inquiry.
“We fully expect it will unveil the truth that collectively forced us to resign.
“We remain hopeful this will allow for the charity to be put in the right hands immediately, for the sake of the communities we serve.”