When I first visited Lesotho with Prince Harry soon after the inception of his Sentebale charity in 2006, the young royal couldn’t hold back his excitement at what he hoped to achieve.

Having set it up in memory of his late mother Princess Diana (sentebale means ‘forget-me-not’ in Lesotho’s language), Harry’s pride that he had managed to get this deeply personal project off the ground was clear to see. It was difficult not to be won over by his passion.

London, August 8 — In what insiders are calling “his most emotional unraveling since Megxit,” Prince Harry has allegedly suffered a series of late-night meltdowns over what he describes as a “hostile and calculated takeover” of the charity Sentebale, a foundation he co-founded in 2006 to support children affected by HIV in Lesotho and Botswana.

According to multiple sources close to the Duke of Sussex, Harry has been making frantic phone calls from his Montecito home — not just to former colleagues at Sentebale, but to key players in the British charity sector, and even to former Palace aides he once vowed never to speak to again.

“They stole it from me!” he reportedly yelled during one particularly heated call at around 2:47 AM PST, a source familiar with the conversation told the Daily Mail. “Everything I built — my life’s work — it’s being dismantled by people who want to erase me.”

A Foundation Built from the Heart

Sentebale — meaning “Forget me not” in Sesotho — was perhaps Harry’s most personal initiative. Born out of his relationship with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, the charity embodied a mission that Harry once described as “a continuation of my mother’s legacy.”

But over the last six months, several structural changes within Sentebale have raised eyebrows. Longtime trustees have stepped down. Financial statements have become less transparent. And just last week, a new “strategic advisory board” was announced — with zero involvement from Harry himself.

According to a leaked internal memo, the new board seeks to “restructure outreach strategy and reframe narrative priorities,” a phrase that sources say made Harry “furious.”

“It’s not just a corporate rebranding. It’s a rewriting of history. His history,” said a former Sentebale staffer, speaking anonymously due to ongoing NDAs.

A “Soft Coup” in the Charity World?

In Montecito, the mood has reportedly been tense. Harry, described by those close to him as “devastated, paranoid, and betrayed,” believes the restructuring was not simply a boardroom decision — but a calculated move influenced by figures in the UK government and royal family.

“He truly believes there’s a concerted effort to separate him from anything meaningful tied to his identity as a royal,” said one insider. “First the military titles, now his charity. It feels, to him, like they want to delete him.”

Among those he reportedly blames is a prominent British diplomat known for his ties to both Buckingham Palace and multiple high-profile philanthropic networks. Though no official accusations have been made, Harry has referred to this individual — in a voicemail leaked to The Guardian — as “the spider behind the web.”

Meghan’s Support, But Tensions Mount

While Meghan Markle has publicly remained silent, sources say she’s been “his rock” during this emotional collapse. “She’s seen this coming,” a close friend shared. “She’s been telling Harry for years that any legacy he tried to preserve under the royal umbrella would eventually be taken from him.”

But tensions are said to be brewing even within the Sussex household. According to another insider, Meghan has urged Harry to “let go of the past and build new platforms,” while Harry remains fixated on “what was stolen.”

“She wants to move forward. He wants to fight back,” the source said.

Palace Response? Stone Cold Silence

As expected, Buckingham Palace has declined to comment, citing its longstanding policy of avoiding public discussion of royal family members not engaged in official duties.

However, insiders note a “chilling quiet” among senior royals, particularly Prince William, who has remained pointedly neutral about Sentebale in recent months — a sharp contrast to earlier years when he praised his brother’s philanthropic work.

“This silence isn’t apathy. It’s strategy,” said a former royal communications adviser. “The royal family doesn’t just ignore — they erase. And Harry knows it.”

What’s Next?

Prince Harry is reportedly considering legal options to regain a formal role in Sentebale or, failing that, launching a new initiative under a separate brand — possibly with partners in California.

Still, the emotional toll appears severe. Friends say he’s “haunted” by the idea that his legacy in Africa is being whitewashed.

“He’s not worried about headlines or polls,” one close confidante explained. “He’s worried about the kids in Lesotho — and the idea that one day, they’ll look at Sentebale and not see his face or hear his name.”

As the scandal unfolds, one thing is clear: this is not just a fight over a charity. It’s a fight over identity, legacy, and the ongoing fracture between Harry and the institution he was born into.

And it’s only just beginning.