Prince Harry 'Heartbroken' Over Charity Fallout amid Claims He Sent 'Unpleasant' Message to Sentebale Chairwoman

• A longtime friend of Prince Harry's says that the Duke of Sussex is in "total shock" about the accusations being made against him by Dr. Sophie Chandauka, Sentebale's chairwoman
• Sources alleged to The Telegraph that Harry sent an "unpleasant" message to Chandauka after she refused to defend his wife, Meghan Markle, following an awkward photo moment at a polo match in April 2024
• Harry and his charity co-founder, Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, announced their resignation as patrons of Sentebale on March 26

Prince Harry's friend says the Duke of Sussex is in"total shock" about the allegations Sentebale chair Dr. Sophie Chandauka has made against him in the wake of his resignation as patron of the charity he co-founded in 2006.

Dr. Chandauka has leveled a series of claims against Prince Harry, accusing him of "bullying" and "harassment." Sources also claim he sent an "unpleasant" and "imperious" message to the charity leader after she failed to publicly dismiss rumors of a rift with his wife, Meghan Markle, following an awkward moment at a 2024 polo event between the two women.

"H is very happy for me to speak for him about how he feels about this awful situation," Rayner told the Daily Mail, referring to Prince Harry. The friends both attended Eton and Rayner joined the prince on a trip to the North Pole in 2012.

Rayner said that the Duke of Sussex is "heartbroken and flabbergasted" that the charity he established as a teenager "has been taken hostage by the chair." Prince Harry and his friend, Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, launched Sentebale in memory of their late mothers, Princess Diana and Queen Mother 'Mamohato Bereng Seeiso, in 2006 and the organization works to help young people in southern Africa.

"He is so upset and hurt and wounded about the things that are being said about him," Rayner told the Daily Mail. "I think it’s too early to tell whether he will just walk away now or whether he might try and get it back.

"The way he feels is as if he has had one of his fingers cut off. He set up Sentebale with a school friend when the death of his mum was a fresh memory," Rayner continued. "At the moment he is just in total shock about what is being said and the accusations being made."

The comments come amid Harry's ongoing dispute with Sentebale's chair, Dr. Sophie Chandauka, that reportedly led to his shock resignation as patron last week.

On March 31, The Telegraph reported that Prince Harry, 40, allegedly sent Chandauka an "unpleasant" and "imperious" message after she declined to defend the Duchess of Sussex after an awkward exchange at an April 2024 polo match sparked negative media coverage then and went viral again online amid Harry's departure from Sentebale.

Sources alleged to The Telegraph that Prince Harry first asked his team to reach out to the Zimbabwean-born lawyer, requesting that she issue a statement dismissing any rumors of tension between her and the Duchess. When she declined to get involved, Harry allegedly sent her a direct message demanding that she "explain herself."

Chandauka was reportedly taken aback by the request and the incident eventually led to deeper fractures with Harry.

Following the announcement of Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso's resignations from Sentebale, Chandauka told the Financial Times that the photo with Meghan ignited tensions with Harry that later escalated. She said that the Duke of Sussex urged her to publicly address the incident, but she refused. 

"I said no, we’re not setting a precedent by which we become an extension of the Sussex PR machine," Chandauka said in a piece published on March 29.

As seen in footage shared to social media, the moment unfolded as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Chandauka prepared to take a group picture on stage at the Royal Salute Polo Challenge in Wellington, Fla. in April 2024 after the match. Chandauka initially stood beside Prince Harry, but Meghan appeared to direct her to move next to her instead. Because of the tight space on stage, Chandauka ducked under the trophy to switch positions.

A source close to Sentebale patrons and trustees tells PEOPLE that the dispute stems from governance concerns, not personal grievances. Regarding the specific instance Chandauka referenced, the source says they cannot comment on details but stresses that they "only ever want the truth to be shared."

Prince Harry and Chandauka's last public appearance for Sentebale was in New York City in December 2024, when the Duke of Sussex warmly greeted her outside the Ki Smith Gallery. The pair shared a hug and a chat before going into the gallery for a reception celebrating Friend, an art exhibit that benefited Sentebale.

On March 26, Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso announced the "devastating" decision that they were stepping down as patrons of Sentebale. Their joint statement explained that they did so to support the trustees who resigned over fallout with Chandauka. 

"With heavy hearts, we have resigned from our roles as Patrons of the organization until further notice, in support of and solidarity with the board of trustees who have had to do the same. It is devastating that the relationship between the charity’s trustees and the chair of the board broke down beyond repair, creating an untenable situation," they said, in part.

"These trustees acted in the best interest of the charity in asking the chair to step down while keeping the well-being of staff in mind. In turn, she sued the charity to remain in this voluntary position, further underscoring the broken relationship," it continued. 

Chandauka became chair of Sentebale in July 2023 and a source familiar with the situation told PEOPLE the organization was in stable financial standing then. However, the source claims the situation changed under her leadership and that she placed significant financial strain on the organization.

In response, a representative for Chandauka previously told PEOPLE: "First and foremost, like much of the content circulated yesterday, a lot of information being shared is untrue and defamatory in nature."

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When the most fundraising deal collapsed in December, internal discussions reportedly began about her stepping down. By February, the board formally requested her resignation, but Chandauka reportedly refused. When trustees continued with a vote to remove her, she filed a legal challenge to block the process, which Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso's statement alluded to. 

"The trustees felt that they couldn't in good conscience continue to place legal and financial strain on the charity by it proceeding in court and chose to resign," the source says.

The Charity Commission in the U.K. is investigating.