Prince Harry and his friend Prince Seeiso of Lesotho have announced that they’re resigning as patrons of their beloved charity Sentebale, a decision they both describe as “devastating.”
The Duke of Sussex and Prince Seeiso established Sentebale in 2006 in memory of their late mothers. The charity provided “comprehensive support for children and young people, including those living with HIV/AIDS, covering healthcare, critical life skills, education, advocacy, and climate resistance” in Lesotho and other areas of Africa.
Prince Harry established the charity to honor his mother, the late Princess Diana, who was also known for her efforts in helping the AIDS community in Africa.
In a joint statement, Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso said, “What’s transpired is unthinkable. We are in shock that we have to do this, but we have a continued responsibility to Sentebale’s beneficiaries, so we will be sharing all of our concerns with the Charity Commission as to how this came about.”
“Nearly 20 years ago, we founded Sentebale in honor of our mothers. Sentebale means ‘forget-me-not’ in Sesotho, the local language of Lesotho, and it’s what we’ve always promised for the young people we’ve served through this charity. Today is no different,” the statement continued, per People.
“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,” it said. “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.”
The princes said in a statement, “These trustees acted in the best interest of the charity in asking the chair to step down while keeping the well-being of staff in mind. In turn, she sued the charity to remain in this voluntary position, further underscoring the broken relationship.”
Harry and Prince Seeiso thanked the trustees for their “service over the years” and said they’re “truly heartbroken they’ve had to follow through with this act.”
“Although we may no longer be patrons, we will always be its founders, and we will never forget what this charity is capable of achieving when it is in the right care,” the statement concluded.
