Breaking News:Harry hopes watchdog will uncover ‘truth’ in charity row.see more

The Duke of Sussex says he hopes the Charity Commission will “unveil the truth” as the watchdog announced an investigation into the bitter dispute surrounding the Sentebale charity he co-founded

“What has transpired over the last week has been heartbreaking to witness, especially when such blatant lies hurt those who have invested decades in this shared goal,” said Prince Harry

The watchdog said it had opened a case to examine “concerns raised” about Sentebale, following claims made by its head Sophie Chandauka.

Ms Chandauka told the BBC she welcomed the move by the commission, which comes after she said she had “blown the whistle” on issues including bullying and harassment.

The duke, speaking on behalf of the former trustees and patrons, welcomed the watchdog’s announcement, saying it would be a “robust inquiry” which “we fully expect will unveil the truth that collectively forced us to resign

We remain hopeful this will allow for the charity to be put in the right hands immediately, for the sake of the communities we serve,” said the prince.

From the inception of Sentebale nearly 20 years ago, Prince Seeiso and I have had a clear goal – to support the children and young people in southern Africa in memory of our mothers,” his statement added