195: Duchess Meghan's As Ever products sold out, Prince Harry's charity Sentebale hit by hostile takeover

Introduction: Minutes 0 to 8:45
We plan to record about once a month for now. I love the show Berlin ER on Apple TV, it’s a lot like The Pitt, which I’m also watching. We were disappointed in the ending of Severence. Chandra is excited for the finale of The White Lotus.

Royals: Minutes (8:45) to 33:00
Meghan released her As Ever collection this Wednesday morning. She had shortbread cookies, jam, tea and flower sprinkles. Everything was sold out within an hour. I bought the jam and some lemon ginger tea and Chandra got two teas and a jam. People were mad about how quickly everything sold out. Meghan also launched a commission-based ShopMy page with clothing, makeup and skincare. 

A woman named Sophie Chandauka has taken over Prince Harry’s Lesotho-based charity, Sentebale. Harry co-founded it with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho in 2006. Both Harry and Prince Seeiso resigned from Sentable in late March. The majority of the board of trustees resigned several days before the announcement.

Chandauka spent over 400,000 pounds on consultants, lost a major sponsor, and demanded a 300,000 salary, which was not granted. She also failed to fundraise for them and alienated the board as she pushed her way to the top.

It was a hostile takeover and was aided by a man named Iain Rawlinson, a former trustee of Prince William’s charity, The Tusk Trust. Chandauka and Rawlinsin did an interview together on Sky News. Chandra wonders when Rawlinson started manipulating Chandauka. He was seen at a Sentebale event in October. In her Sky News interview, Chandauka’s main example of Prince Harry bullying her was when he resigned from Sentebale after she threatened to sue them. Chandauka spouted Windsor talking points against Harry in an interview with the Financial Times. She also was mad that Meghan and Serena Williams showed up at the charity polo match last April. Chandauka blamed Prince Harry for her failure to fundraise for Sentebale despite the fact that he donated 1.5 million from his proceeds from Spare and that the polo match raised over a million also.

She’s the woman whom Meghan asked to move during a group photo at that match, giving her a more central place instead of on the side next to Harry. The press made a huge deal out of this at the time and Harry emailed or texted Chandauka asking her to make a statement in defense of Meghan. She refused and now sources are saying that if the email got out it would be damaging to Harry. If so, why don’t they release it? The British press’s reaction in early March to Meghan gently telling Mindy Kaling that her last name was Sussex revealed so much.

The British charity commission is investigating what happened at Sentebale. The trustees have spoken on the record about how abrasive Chandauka is.

There’s an ongoing narrative that Prince Harry is lonely, that he never should have left England, that he should come back to England. He’s probably relieved to be away from these toxic people.

We’re excited for the second season of With Love, Meghan and hope she does seasonal episodes. Meghan’s podcast Confessions of a Female Founder comes out April 8th.

Prince William is going to be on Jeremy Clarkson’s reality show, Clarkson’s Farm. You might remember Jeremy Clarkson’s horrible screed against Duchess Meghan. It’s also notable that Will and Kate disappeared this week.

Comments of the Week: Minutes (33:00) to end
Chandra’s comment of the week is from Jais on the post about Meghan’s As Ever product launch.

My comment of the week is from Lightpurple on the story about Cory Booker’s marathon Senate speech.

Thanks for listening bitches!