A British regulator said it would examine concerns about Sentebale, the charity Harry co-founded, looking at its chair as well as its trustees.
Reporting from London
Breaking days of silence after he was accused of bullying and harassment, Prince Harry said on Thursday that he welcomed news that the bitter dispute at the charity he co-founded is to be investigated by the Charity Commission, an independent watchdog group that regulates charities in England and Wales.
The charity, Sentebale, has been engulfed in a public relations crisis since last week, when Harry and his co-founder, Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, announced they were resigning as patrons in solidarity with five departing trustees over a damaging rift with the chair of the board, Sophie Chandauka.
Ms. Chandauka has since gone on television in Britain to air incendiary claims against the former trustees and Harry, including allegations of sexism, harassment and bullying, which they have strongly denied.
“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,” Harry said in a statement issued with Prince Seeiso. “We fully expect it will unveil the truth that collectively forced us to resign.”
The dispute between Ms. Chandauka and the prince has spiraled, with Ms. Chandauka claiming she was targeted by the publicity machine of Harry and his wife, Meghan, after an awkward encounter with Meghan at a polo match in Miami to raise money for the charity. Harry has declined to answer her specific allegations, saying he preferred to settle matters through an outside investigation.
The former trustees, in turn, said they had lost confidence in Ms. Chandauka’s leadership, citing problems like a decline in fund-raising and expensive consulting contracts that they said she had signed without informing the board.
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