Prince Harry's Charity Departure Detailed in Explosive Biography
Prince Harry faced a significant setback in 2025 when he stepped down from Sentebale, the charity he co-founded in 2006 with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho. This move followed years of internal strife and mounting difficulties within the organization. The circumstances surrounding his exit are now laid bare in a revealing new biography by royal author Tom Bower, titled Betrayal: Power, Deceit and the Fight for the Future of the Royal Family, which is being serialized by The Times.
Brutal Feedback on Harry's Celebrity Image
According to Bower's account, Prince Harry's involvement with Sentebale became increasingly problematic as his public profile evolved. In 2024, during a visit to Lesotho—his first in five years—Harry engaged in tense discussions with charity trustees. The charity was struggling with fundraising efforts, and staff dissatisfaction over pay and conditions had surfaced. A marketing expert, Jonathan Mildenhall, delivered a harsh assessment, telling Harry, "The more you ascend, the less oxygen you have to tell the truth." Mildenhall criticized Harry's memoir Spare, suggesting it should have been called Duty, and bluntly stated that Harry's image was damaged, making fundraising in America difficult because "you're not special." Harry reportedly expressed confusion, asking, "How come no one told me?" regarding the term "brand audit."
Charity Leadership Clashes and Psychological Harm Claims
The friction extended to interactions with Sentebale's leadership. Sophie Chandauka, who became chair in 2023, had a volatile video call with Harry after a meeting in New York. Bower writes that Harry accused Chandauka of ruining both him and Meghan Markle through the brand audit, implying it caused psychological harm. He stated, "Your brand audit has damaged me. You shouldn't have done it," and echoed Meghan's concerns that the audit had also harmed her. The call ended on an unsettled note, highlighting the deepening rift between Harry and the charity's governance.
Savage Assessment of Meghan Markle's Influence
Further controversy arose during a charity trip to Singapore in 2023. A lawyer for Sentebale provided Harry with what Bower describes as an "unpleasant reality check." Sponsors had grown uneasy with the Sussexes' celebrity status, particularly following their Oprah Winfrey interview in 2021, Netflix docuseries in 2022, and Harry's memoir in 2023. A brand audit involving 50 organizations and donors revealed that Harry's personal brand value had plummeted. The lawyer reported, "People don't want to be associated with your Netflix shows and especially not with Meghan." The survey also indicated that Meghan had little brand value in America and, globally, she actually damaged Harry's remaining brand value, despite her efforts to build an influencer presence with her lifestyle brand As Ever.
Sussexes' Fiery Response to Allegations
In response to the serialization of Bower's book, a spokesperson for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle issued a strongly worded statement condemning the allegations. The representative said, "Mr Bower's commentary has long crossed the line from criticism into fixation. This is someone who has publicly stated, 'the monarchy in fact depends on actually obliterating the Sussexes from our state of life,' language that speaks for itself. He has made a career out of constructing ever more elaborate theories about people he does not know and has never met. Those interested in facts will look elsewhere; those seeking deranged conspiracy and melodrama know exactly where to find him." This rebuttal underscores the ongoing tension between the Sussexes and their critics, framing Bower's work as sensationalist rather than factual.
