Prince Harry’s Sentebale charity scandal looms like a dark cloud, raising the pressing question—where did all the money go? After digging deep into this situation, the findings are nothing short of shocking.
Now that the controversy has exploded across headlines, Harry is attempting to distance himself, as if he had no involvement. But how can that be when the charity bears his name? He oversaw it, used it as his showcase charity, and tied it to his mother’s legacy, proving his commitment to philanthropy. Yet, now that everything is unraveling, he has seemingly vanished.
The most pressing question right now is straightforward but deeply troubling—what happened to the $50 million funneled from the U.S. to Sentebale? This isn't a minor discrepancy; we're talking about taxpayer money, specifically American taxpayer money. A particularly revealing tweet from Royal Sage highlighted just how much funding Sentebale received through U.S. foreign assistance. At first, the numbers seemed almost unbelievable. But after further investigation, the information was confirmed, even by Newsweek.
Prince Harry himself stated that Sentebale and its U.S. partner organization worked together to implement a five-year program starting in 2020, aimed at assisting 25,000 vulnerable children and preventing HIV. The U.S. foreign assistance website reports that $51.4 million was allocated for this initiative, concluding in January 2025, with Baylor College of Medicine listed as a key partner. While Sentebale may not have been the sole recipient, one would expect clear financial records detailing where such a significant sum went. However, with trustees resigning and whistleblowers coming forward, the timing of this unfolding scandal raises serious red flags.
Harry, of course, can’t simply escape this mess—or can he? That seems to be his pattern, running from responsibilities, from his family, from his country, and now, from his charity’s growing troubles. Yet, some continue to defend him. Notably, royal commentator Conell Citadel, a must-follow on X, pointed out how the Times attempted to frame Harry as the victim in this scandal. The article, titled “Sentebale: Inside the Dysfunctional Charity Prince Harry Has Quit,” quoted Baroness Chalker of Wallasey, a trustee of nearly 20 years, who criticized the organization’s chairwoman, Sophie Chandauka, for her leadership style. But let’s take a step back—Chandauka wasn’t even in charge for most of the period in question. She inherited an already flawed system, yet is now being blamed for its downfall. While her leadership may not have been perfect, the real question remains: what was Harry’s role in all of this? As Conell aptly put it, the Times has spent the past two days cleaning up Harry’s image, even going so far as to paint a Black chairwoman as a dictator to shield him from scrutiny.
The article also quotes Baroness Chalker, now 82, saying she wasn’t pleased with the direction of the charity and resigned from the board in November 2024. But if she had concerns, why didn’t she speak up sooner? Surely, she had Harry’s contact information. Could she not have reached out to him or the rest of the board? Or perhaps Harry simply wasn’t interested. Maybe his commitment to Sentebale was never about genuine philanthropy, but rather, about the prestige and photo opportunities it provided. The Baroness described Harry’s resignation as “very sad, but not surprising,” a statement that hardly comes as a shock. Quitting has practically become his trademark. The accusations against Chandauka, meanwhile, lack substance and seem like a classic distraction tactic, particularly considering that the same board now criticizing her was involved in the very financial dealings under scrutiny.
The financial inconsistencies are glaring. The Royal Grift, another excellent source of analysis, pointed out significant discrepancies in the charity’s fundraising reports. In 2021, Harry pledged $1.5 million through his polo fundraiser. Sentebale’s annual report for that year confirmed receiving the funds but stated they would be included in the following year’s report. However, the total revenue from 2021’s fundraising events was also reported as $1.5 million, raising the question—what additional funds were raised beyond Harry’s contribution? It simply doesn’t add up. Even more suspicious is the $2.66 million reported as U.S. revenue in 2021, a sharp increase from previous years. If Harry’s $1.5 million is included in that figure, it suggests either that no other money was raised during the fundraiser or that the financial reporting was manipulated. If an accounting error is at play, someone will likely face serious legal consequences.
