Duke urged to focus on Invictus Games to restore public image
Prince Harry may have stepped away from royal life, but his path to peace and stability remains fraught with challenges. Despite being cleared of wrongdoing in the recent Sentebale investigation, tensions with King Charles and ongoing public criticism continue to cloud his reputation.
The Duke of Sussex has yet to meet face-to-face with his father in 2025, with royal insiders suggesting the King’s focus on his health since his cancer diagnosis — and a desire to avoid unnecessary stress — may be behind the distance. Although aids from both sides recently met in London in an effort to ease tensions, progress on reconciliation appears slow.
Harry’s situation worsened when Sentebale’s chair, Dr Sophie Chandauka, publicly accused him of causing “incalculable damage” to the charity, despite the Charity Commission finding no evidence of widespread bullying, harassment, or misconduct. The Duke resigned as patron earlier this year, ending his formal ties with the organization he co-founded with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho 19 years ago to honor their mothers’ memories.
In a firm statement following the inquiry, Harry’s representatives dismissed the chair’s allegations as false, noting that investigators “found no evidence of widespread bullying, harassment or misogyny and misogynoir at the charity.”
For now, royal commentators believe Harry’s strongest opportunity to rebuild public trust lies with the Invictus Games — the global sporting event he founded for wounded and injured servicemen and women. Widely praised for its positive impact, the charity remains one of the few areas of his public life untouched by controversy. However, experts warn that he must keep the project free from commercialization if he hopes to restore its standing.
While he may have left behind the constraints of royal protocol, Harry’s journey toward a drama-free future is proving far more complicated than he might have anticipated.
