Prince Harry has suffered a blow as his charity director has quit after 18 years in the role.
Lynda Chalker was a member of the board of trustees of Sentebale, a charity established to reach Lesotho’s poorest children who are victims of extreme poverty and the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
A spokesman for Lady Chalker says: “Although she resigns from her formal role, her commitment to the charity and the Duke of Sussex remains unwavering.”
The former MP also founded the Chalker Foundation, which seeks to support the improvement of healthcare in Africa.
Prince Harry suffers blow as Duke of Sussex’s charity director quits after 18 years
Getty
Sentebale, co-founded by Harry and Prince Seeiso in 2006, supports children and young people affected by HIV in Lesotho and Botswana.
The charity’s work has expanded since its inception when one in three children in Lesotho had lost a parent to HIV AIDS-related illness.
Chalker is a retired British MP who served 18 years between 1974 and 1992.
She served as Minister of State for Overseas Development and Africa at the Foreign Office in the Conservative Government from 1989 to 1997 under Prime Ministers Margaret Thatcher and John Major.
Lynda Chalker informed four Manchester MPs of the Government’s latest position regarding jailed South African Nelson Mandela when she was Foreign Office Minister.
PA
Baroness Chalker completed 25 years in the House of Lords in April 2017
The Duke of Sussex’s organisation lost chairman Johnny Hornby last year after he stood down after 11 years as a trustee.
In addition, Andrew Tucker stepped down from his senior position at Sentebale after almost a decade.
Harry has previously spoken about the charity’s “massive” impact.
LATEST ROYAL NEWS:
Prince Harry founded Sentebale in 2006GettyHe said: “We’re hitting the targets, not just Sentebale but all of the departments are, and it’s making a massive difference, and it is this surge of energy and optimism and the voice of young people ranging from six to 25, and the biggest difference of which really needs more work, is when people from the top start listening.”
Harry’s connection to Lesotho dates back to his gap year in 2004 when he spent two months in the region.
This experience inspired him to launch Sentebale.
The charity now works across Lesotho and Botswana, teaching children critical life skills that build confidence, providing inclusive services to address mental and physical well-being, and offering vocational training for young women.