The chairwoman of a charity co-founded by Prince Harry claims “misogynoir” is to blame for why the Duke of Sussex and board of trustees resigned.
“Beneath all the victim narrative and fiction that has been syndicated to press is the story of a woman who dared to blow the whistle about issues of poor governance, weak executive management, abuse of power, bullying, harassment, misogyny, misogynoir and the cover-up that ensued,” Dr. Sophie Chandauka, chairwoman of Sentebale, told the London Times Wednesday.
Misogynoir, by definition, is “hatred of, aversion to, or prejudice against Black women.” The term was first coined in 2008 by activist and feminist scholar Moya Bailey, per dictionary.com and her website.
Chandauka also claimed the charity was nothing more than a “vanity project” for Harry, co-founder Prince Seeiso of Lesotho and the trustees — but not for her.
“Everything I do at Sentebale is in pursuit of the integrity of the organization, its mission, and the young people we serve. My actions are guided by the principles of fairness and equitable treatment for all, regardless of social status or financial means,” she told the outlet.
“There are people in this world who behave as though they are above the law and mistreat people, and then play the victim card and use the very press they disdain to harm people who have the courage to challenge their conduct.”
Issues between Chandauka, Harry and the board seem to have started ever since she was appointed to the position. Per her LinkedIn, Chandauka started working with the charity in July 2023.
In a video taken in April 2024, Prince Harry’s wife, Meghan Markle, could be seen awkwardly asking Chandauka not to stand next to the “Spare” author as the two raised a trophy following a charity polo match.
It was clear that neither Harry nor Markle wanted the chairwoman next to the red-headed royal. However, the two still smiled in photos together during other photo opportunities at the event.
The charity’s trustees were reportedly unhappy that Chandauka was named Sentebale chairwoman and wanted her to step down, prompting her to file a lawsuit against the organization in England’s High Court.
They were also allegedly upset about the Zimbabwe-born lawyer’s decision to move the fundraising operation to Africa.
Tensions came to a head Wednesday, with the princes stepping down from their roles with the organization.
“With heavy hearts, we have resigned from our roles as patrons of the organization until further notice, in support of and solidarity with the board of trustees who have had to do the same,” they wrote in their joint statement.
“It is devastating that the relationship between the charity’s trustees and the chair of the board broke down beyond repair, creating an untenable situation.”
Harry, 40, and Seeiso, 58, insisted that the trustees “acted in the best interest of the charity in asking the chair to step down, while keeping the wellbeing of staff in mind.”
