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Prince Harry and Sentebale staff worry that talks about the viral polo match could distract from what truly mattered amid the charity scandal. Last month, the Duke of Sussex plunged into yet another scandal that could potentially ruin his reputation, adding to his already ongoing visa dispute and battle for UK security. The head of Sentebale, a charity he cofounded in 2006 in honor of his late mom, Princess Diana, took legal action to block the board’s efforts to oust her from the position she’s held since 2016. Subsequently, Prince Harry, his co-founder, Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, and the Board of Trustees announced their resignation over the “loss of trust and confidence,” and the “untenable leadership” under Sophie Chandauka.
Amid the ongoing Sentebale scandal, the UK Charity Commission opened a regulatory compliance case to look into the acrimonious dispute between Sophie Chandauka and Prince Harry’s board. The chairwoman, who first gained public attention last year after her awkward moment with Meghan and Harry at a Polo match went viral, previously claimed she reported the Patrons and the board of trustees to the commission in February. Despite the brewing drama, the media seems more invested in the implication of the viral photo moment, with some citing it as the origin of the Sentebale acrimony.
Insiders Weary Meghan’s Polo Match Scandal Would Overshadow Bigger Issues
The event in question was a Sentebale Polo match organized to raise funds for charity last April. Following the game, Meghan Markle, tasked with presenting the trophy to the winning team, handed it out before posing for photos with Harry and some attendees. In a move that went viral on social media, Markle appeared to ask Chandauka to move aside, away from her husband while posing for photos. Her insistence prompted the chairwoman to duck under the trophy, over to the other side, seemingly in an attempt to avoid the duchess’ wrath.
While Chandauka has since cleared the mystery surrounding the photo op, at least from her point of view, both her and Harry’s side appear to agree on one thing— The need to not deflect from what truly mattered while keeping the match at the forefront. According to Sky News’ Rhiannon Mills, her interaction with people on both sides confirmed their willingness to clarify the ongoing dispute for good, making sure the focus remained on the “fundamental questions” rather than the need to further escalate the polo match for more drama. She wrote,
“All parties are keen ‘that polo match’ doesn’t become the distraction – the match where it looked like Dr Chandauka and the Sussexes had fallen out. All of those involved want that to be put to one side, as they tell me there are much more fundamental questions that need to be answered.”
Markle Deemed the Center of Prince Harry’s Sentebale Dispute
The royal correspondent cited the major disputed areas in the Sentebale charity scandal, including commercial interests/finances, how the charity was being run under the existing leadership, and the future of Sentebale with or without certain policies. Questions around these fundamental subjects of dispute would greatly help to better understand and resolve the scandal plaguing the Sentebale charity, leading to Prince Harry’s resignation as patron. Yet, the most prevailing information about the scandal in the media is the bit involving Meghan and Harry’s bullying of the charity head, with the Netflix-televised Polo match at the center of these wild claims. Citing Markle as the origin of the internal crisis within Sentebale, one Reddit user wrote,
“Madam [Meghan] was also the one who pushed Dr Sophia C. too far. She demanded Harry to demand Dr Sophia C to lie publicly to polish Madam’s turd of a reputation. “
Reddit users pointed out that regardless of what played out and Markle’s part in it, the charity commission would unveil everything in the course of their inquiry. Some were convinced the investigation would not exactly implicate Harry and his wife, given they’ve had minimal involvement in the charity since founding Sentebale almost 20 years ago. One netizen pointed out,
“Regulatory compliance issues can also involve other trustees. I think that Harry is guilty of using Sentebale for PR, but has he really been involved/ worked consistently with the charity? He has been more involved with Archewell in the last few years.”
Another wrote,
“Just need to sit tight, allow due process to be followed and wait for the outcome.”
A third added,
“But it’s going to be painfully slow. These things are never quick.”
Chandauka Addresses Polo Match Drama
Sadly, the losing party in all of these is the young people, unable to benefit further as the charity shifts its focus to the ongoing scandal and ensuing investigation. Somehow, the needs of the children that Sentebale was founded to meet have been lost in the whole charity scandal, overshadowed by the need to unmask Harry and Meghan’s bullying of an “African woman,” supposedly caught on camera.
The Zimbabwe-born lawyer recently addressed the Polo match scandal in a recent interview. During the interview, Chandauka accused Prince Harry of “harassment and bullying,” also sharing details of her encounter with Markle at the viral polo match. She explained how the duchess, after initially stating she would not attend the event, eventually showed up with a famous friend. This resulted in them having too many people on stage trying to take the photo, leading to the “choreography” that the international press captured and blew up.
Without clarifying if Markle’s actions at the Sentebale polo event were an act of bullying, the charity head revealed Prince Harry tried to force her to release a statement defending his wife against the brewing scandal. However, she boldly declined, refusing to “be an extension of the Sussexes.”
Despite her obvious avoidance of labeling Markle’s treatment of her, the media has interpreted Chandauka’s statement as an admission to being treated poorly by the duchess. Ultimately, several headlines and social media threads have shot daggers at the 43-year-old, further vilifying her as she continues struggling with never-ending allegations of bullying hurled against her since exiting the royal family.
