Lessons in Workplace Resolution: Insights from the Sentebale Case

Background

In August 2025, the Charity Commission for England and Wales released its findings on the internal dispute arising at Sentebale, the charity co‑founded by Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso. Issues within the charity have been widely reported in the news putting the way the charity has been run under the spotlight. What’s interesting is that the report found no evidence of systemic bullying, harassment, misogyny, or overreach by either the chair, Dr. Sophie Chandauka, or Prince Harry himself, with news outlets running stories with headlines like ‘Inside the crisis that ‘bled dry’ Prince Harry’s Sentebale Charity- The Times’ and ‘Senteable war of words continue…’- Sky News. The Commission criticised how the conflict was allowed to “play out publicly,” cited poor internal governance, and noted a failure to resolve disputes internally that severely damaged the charity’s reputation and risked undermining public trust in charities generally.

Whilst most organisations won’t have disputes plastered all over the national press, poorly handled conflict could lead to grievances or tribunals. There are some important lessons we can learn from Sentebale around how important conflict resolution is within organisations.

4 Key Takeaways for Workplace Conflict Resolution

Robust internal governance is really important.

Proper governance structures, like clear decision-making hierarchies, dispute resolution frameworks, and transparent communication channels are the backbone of resilient organisations. Not only do they help when things go wrong, but they help to create positive working environments where people understand what’s going on and nurture positive psychological contracts with your people. Sentebale’s experience underscores what happens when such systems are weak meaning conflicts can escalate, spill into public view, and damage reputations.

Actively encourage early resolution

When internal disagreements arise, it’s critical to intervene early. We all know how much more difficult it is to resolve a conflict that has been lingering for a long time and become laced with emotions and frustration. Early resolution, before things escalate and become more formal can include mediation or facilitated dialogue, rather than allowing issues to fester. The Commission’s criticism that the dispute was never resolved internally illustrates the high cost of inaction. In 2021 ACAS estimated that the cost of workplace conflict to UK businesses in that year alone was £28.5 billion a year, that’s about £1,000 per employee. Those numbers are astronomical and don’t take into account the time and effort managing conflict takes.

Denise Sanderson-Estcourt from Resolution at Work says “it’s really important not to bury the problem and to deal with what you see coming. Tools like neutral assessments can really help to allow businesses to see the whole picture, not just a spec of paint. It’s not okay to lean on the mantra of, nobody has made a formal complaint, if you see something coming, act and if you don’t see it coming use that as motivation to get closer to the action and try to establish what’s really going on”.

Alison Love, Managing Director of Resolution at Work, says “In this situation substantial damage has been caused by the process being played out publicly. Relationships have been severely damaged (probably beyond repair) and the charity and the people it should be helping have also been affected. This could have been avoided or limited by things being dealt with informally in the first instance”.

Separate Roles: Leadership vs. Oversight

Ensuring you have someone neutral investigate concerns is fundamental when conflict arises. Blurring the lines between strategic leadership and operational oversight can create confusion and erode trust. Sentebale’s conflict between its chair and trustees indicates how without clearly defined roles conflict can grow.

Phil Sayce of Resolution at Work says “neutrality is incredibly key when dealing with workplace conflict. Having a neutral ‘outside person’ manage conflict situations can help ensure biases are minimised. Trying to keep things in-house often increases reputational risk”.

Respond to governance concerns with transparency

After the Commission’s findings, Sentebale committed to an action plan which includes:

• Enhancing internal dispute policies
• Improving complaints and whistleblowing procedures
• Clarifying delegation of authority

Proactive and transparent corrective measures like these help restore trust and signal a genuine commitment to change. Whilst we’re all human and make mistakes, it’s important that when things go wrong we own them and put in place measures to learn from our mistakes. Sticking to these plans will be crucial to allow Sentebale to move forwards in a positive way.

Want further information on the case?

• Prince Harry and others criticised by charity watchdog for ‘damaging’ public row- ITV News
• All sides’ to blame in Prince Harry charity row, watchdog finds- BBC News

Need some help with conflict resolution?

At Resolution at Work we have over 20 years experience of supporting organisations to manage workplace conflict. Our team of experts is made up of highly experienced mediators, coaches and conflict resolution professionals from a variety of backgrounds including HR, legal, facilitation and training. Get in touch to see how we can support you:

✉️   info@[email protected]

☎️   0800 489235

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