Meghan Markle is deliberately "taking a back seat" on Prince Harry's contentious dispute with his former charity Sentebale, as royal experts suggest the Duchess has made a calculated decision to remain publicly silent. The strategic approach comes amid Harry's acrimonious split from the African-based organisation he co-founded nearly two decades ago.
The Duke of Sussex severed ties with Sentebale earlier this year following a bitter public feud with the charity's former chairwoman, Dr Sophie Chandauka. The conflict involved serious allegations of bullying, harassment, misogyny and misconduct against Harry and other trustees.
A Charity Commission investigation later cleared Prince Harry and fellow trustees of all wrongdoing. However, the findings acknowledged that several people involved felt mistreated, and those feelings should not be dismissed.
Expert analysis on Meghan's silence
Royal commentator Jennie Bond believes Meghan's absence from the public discourse represents a deliberate and wise strategic decision. "This is a very sensitive issue all round. Sentebale was Harry's charity from the start, along with his co-founder, Prince Seeiso," Bond explained.
The nature of the allegations makes any potential intervention from Meghan particularly complicated. "The allegations of misogyny and misogynoir - both discounted by the charity commission - make this an even more sensitive issue for Meghan to become involved with," Bond observed.
Bond suggested Meghan has "wisely taken a back seat on this and left it to her husband" while likely providing private support. "I think Harry will completely understand that it's not her place to get involved in a public row with his charity," Bond told The Mirror.
Charity faces financial crisis
The dispute has coincided with severe financial difficulties for Sentebale, with GB News reporting the organisation has slashed its UK workforce to just one employee. A redundancy notice indicated the charity "does not have" donor funding and was entering "retrenchment".
Among those dismissed was the charity's global head of finance and compliance, according to The Times. The organisation attributed the layoffs to "global restructuring" intended to improve efficiencies and respond to changing funding patterns.
However, Dr Tessa Dunlop questions Meghan's silence, according to Mirror reports, asking why the Duchess hasn't supported Harry publicly given his historical backing for her during controversies. Some suggest Harry may establish a new humanitarian charity to continue his work in Lesotho and Botswana, Mirror reports indicate.
The timing coincides with the couple's new Netflix deal announcement and Meghan's return to Instagram, raising questions about their coordinated public relations strategy.
Sources used: "The Mirror", "GB News", "The Times" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
