A watchdog has escalated its investigations into "concerns raised" about an African charity that Prince Harry recently stepped down from amid a boardroom battle within the organisation as the Duke issued a new statement. The Duke of Sussex has been embroiled in a bitter row with Sentebale's chairwoman, Sophie Chandauka, after he quit last week as its patron in the latest feud, which includes several "claims and counter-claims of racism, bullying and mismanagement", according to reports.

The Charity Commission said it had opened a regulatory compliance case into Sentebale a week after it emerged Harry had quit as patron. The Duke of Sussex said he hoped the Charity Commission would uncover "the truth" about what caused him to resign as patron. Harry founded Sentebale in honour of his mother late mother, Princess Diana, in 2006 with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho to help young people and children in southern Africa, particularly those living with HIV and Aids. However, last week, several trustees left the organisation in a dispute with Ms 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".

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 appeared to criticise Harry for going to the press and for what she described as playing "the victim card".

The chairwoman also claimed the duke had tried to "eject" her from the charity through "bullying" and "harassment".

A source close to the former trustees and patrons of Sentebale dismissed Ms Chandauka's comments as a "publicity stunt".

The commission said it had informed the charity on Wednesday that it had "opened a regulatory compliance case to examine concerns raised about the charity".

This allows the watchdog to "gather evidence and assess the compliance of the charity and trustees past and present with their legal duties" and responsibilities under charity law. It is not the same as a statutory inquiry.

The commission, which said the decision to open a case came after assessing initial concerns raised, said it is in "direct contact with parties who have raised concerns".

Regulatory compliance cases can lead to a range of outcomes, including an official warning being given to a charity or a statutory inquiry being opened, which can give the commission additional powers of investigation.

Following the latest update, 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."

Ms Chandauka said she welcomes the case being opened and hopes the outcome can "comfort" the public that the charity and its new trustees are "acting appropriately".

She said: "I welcome the Charity Commission's decision to proceed with a regulatory compliance case to consider the various governance, administration and management matters I first reported in February 2025.

"For completeness, I should mention that we initiated an internal governance review last year, the findings of which we will share with the Charity Commission. We hope that, together, these actions will give the general public, our colleagues, partners, supporters, donors and the communities we serve comfort that Sentebale and its new board of trustees are acting appropriately to demonstrate and ensure good governance and a healthy culture for Sentebale to thrive.

"In the meantime, our exceptional executive team and operational staff remain focused on the day-to-day operations of the charity, ensuring continuity in our work and mission delivery. We appreciate the patience, understanding and tremendous support we have received from our existing and prospective partners and supporters, and look forward to continuing to work together with you as we recalibrate for an ambitious future."

Meanwhile, Sentebale executive director Carmel Gaillard said her team is committed to co-operating with the Charity Commission's case.

She said: "As executive director, I speak on behalf of the Sentebale executive team and operational staff that we welcome the clarity this process will bring. Transparency and accountability are central to how we operate, and the executive team and I are fully committed to supporting the Charity Commission's regulatory compliance case in any way needed.

"We will also continue to work closely with the chair and the new board of trustees to ensure the smooth running of the organisation, keeping our focus firmly on delivering for the young people and communities we serve."