Inside Meghan Markle’s Viral Polo Moment That Sentebale Chairwoman Says Escalated Tensions with Prince Harry

• An awkward moment caught on camera between Meghan Markle and Sentebale chair Dr. Sophie Chandauka is back in the spotlight after Prince Harry’s shock departure from the charity
• The Duchess of Sussex appeared to direct Chandauka away from Harry and next to her during a group photo moment at the Royal Salute Polo Challenge in April 2024
• The Telegraph reports that Prince Harry sent Chandauka a message after she declined to issue a statement following the incident

Prince Harry‘s unexpected resignation from his Sentebale charity has reignited interest in an awkward moment involving him, his wife Meghan Markle and the organization’s chairwoman at a 2024 polo tournament.

On March 26, the Duke of Sussex, 40, and his Sentebale co-founder, Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, announced their departure as patrons of the charity they founded in 2006 to honor their late mothers. The move sent shockwaves amid reports of internal turmoil and financial struggles within the organization.

Chandauka claims her dispute with Harry began in April 2024 when she refused his team’s request to publicly defend Meghan Markle after an awkward on-stage exchange led to negative media coverage.

Footage from the Royal Salute Polo Challenge in Wellington, Fla., last April shows Harry, Meghan, and Chandauka posing with a trophy. Initially, Chandauka stands beside Harry, but Meghan, 43, appears to direct her to move next to her instead. Chandauka then awkwardly ducks under the trophy to switch positions.

The group then appears to pose cheerfully for the photo, celebrating Prince Harry and his teammates’ 3-1 victory for the Royal Salute Sentebale Team over the Grand Champions Polo Club Team, captained by Harry’s friend and Sentebale ambassador, Nacho Figueras.

In a March 29 interview with the Financial Times, Chandauka claimed that the photo moment with Meghan sparked tensions with Prince Harry, which later escalated. According to her, the Duke of Sussex urged her to publicly address the incident, but she refused.

“I said no, we’re not setting a precedent by which we become an extension of the Sussex PR machine,” Chandauka told the outlet.

A source close to Sentebale patrons and trustees told PEOPLE that the dispute is rooted in governance concerns, not personal grievances. Regarding the specific instance Chandauka referenced, the source says they cannot comment on the details but stresses that they “only ever want the truth to be shared.”

In December 2024, Prince Harry was spotted warmly greeting Chandauka outside New York City’s Ki Smith Gallery ahead of a reception for Friend, an art exhibit benefiting Sentebale. The two appeared to engage in a friendly chat before heading inside for the event. The showcase, featuring works by pioneers of Minimalism and Op Art, donated 100% of its sales to the charity. During brief remarks, Harry expressed gratitude on behalf of Sentebale, saying the team was “massively grateful” for the generosity.

In a March 30 interview with Sky News, Chandauka claimed she had experienced “harassment and bullying at scale” following Prince Harry’s departure from Sentebale.

On March 31, The Telegraph reported that Harry had previously messaged Chandauka after she refused to issue a statement about the polo photo moment with Meghan.

“He initially asked his team to contact the Zimbabwean-born lawyer and request she issue a statement quashing any rumours of tension between her and the Duchess,” the outlet reports. “However, after she refused to be drawn into the row, Prince Harry fired a direct message to her allegedly demanding that she ‘explain herself.’ “

According to The Telegraph, sources described the message as “unpleasant” in tone and “imperious” in language, leaving Chandauka caught off guard and further straining an already tense situation.

Last week, Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso, 58, issued a joint statement to announce the “devastating” decision that they were stepping down as patrons of Sentebale, supporting the trustees who resigned over fallout with Chandauka. The friends created the organization in memory of their late mothers, Princess Diana and Queen Mother ‘Mamohato Bereng Seeiso.

“With heavy hearts, we have resigned from our roles as Patrons of the organization until further notice, in support of and solidarity with the board of trustees who have had to do the same. It is devastating that the relationship between the charity’s trustees and the chair of the board broke down beyond repair, creating an untenable situation,” they said, in part.

After the board of trustees asked Chandauka, who took on the leadership role in July 2023, to resign, she lodged a lawsuit against the charity, which supports young people in Lesotho and Botswana. The Charity Commission in the U.K. confirmed they are investigating.

Can’t get enough of PEOPLE’s Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! 

A Sentebale source familiar with the situation tells PEOPLE that the chairwoman placed significant financial strain on the organization.

The source says that when Chandauka was appointed in July 2023, the organization was in stable financial standing, a situation which changed under her leadership.