She is an Oxford-educated businesswoman who came to prominence when the Duchess of Sussex seemed intent on ushering her out of the limelight.

Dr Sophie Chandauka was gently prodded away from Prince Harry’s side by Meghan, as they posed for photos together after a polo match.

The awkward encounter last year was the first time many followers of the Sussexes became aware of her.

Yet the Zimbabwean lawyer, 47, is now even more noteworthy. In her own words, she has ‘dared to blow the whistle’ on Harry’s charity over alleged racist bullying of black women.

Given all the duke has been through in recent years – Harry has spoken repeatedly about ‘unconscious bias’ – such accusations have put Dr Chandauka firmly in the spotlight.

She has been alongside Harry and Meghan, whose mother Doria is black, at numerous international events.

Last April Meghan appeared to ask Dr Chandauka not to pose next to Harry as he celebrated the Royal Salute Polo Challenge in Florida.

Footage showed that after handing Harry a trophy, Dr Chandauka, who was standing on his right, was asked twice by Meghan to move to her left side away from Harry.

The Duchess of Sussex presents the trophy to her husband alongside Dr Sophie Chandauka after his team the Royal Salute Sentebale Team defeated the Grand Champions Team

Dr. Sophie Chandauka at a Sentebale reception and panel discussion at the Ritz Carlton Hotel on April 11, 2024 in Miami Beach, Florida

Prince Harry meets 15-year-old orphan Keneuoe at St Bernadette’s Centre in Maseru, Lesotho, in February 2013

Prince Seeiso of Lesotho and Dr Sophie Chandauka with Harry in Lesotho in October last year

He had his arm around his wife while others shuffled to find a place. Dr Chandauka then had to duck under the trophy to adopt the position Meghan asked her to stand in.

Dr Chandauka was appointed chairman of Harry’s charity Sentebale in 2023 after a six-year stint serving on its board from 2009 to 2015.

In less than two years at the helm, she has found herself at the centre of a racism and bullying row.

The lawyer, who has worked for Meta, Morgan Stanley and Virgin Money, rose from being a trainee solicitor to advising on multi-million-pound deals.

Speaking at the time of her appointment as Sentebale chairman, Dr Chandauka cited her rise from ‘the young girl from Zimbabwe’ to having a ‘world-class education and career’.

She added that this was an inspiration for the charity’s ‘capacity to transform lives’ and inspire young people to ‘define their own destinies’.

Dr Chandauka was honoured with an MBE in 2021 for extraordinary services to diversity in business.

In 2005 she qualified as a corporate lawyer with Baker and McKenzie in London before being headhunted for a senior role at Virgin Money.