The pair cited, per NBC News, an alleged breakdown in the relationship between Sentebale’s board of trustees and its chairwoman—listed on the charity’s website as Dr. Sophie Chandauka—and a subsequent request for her to step down made by the board.

Harry and Seeiso’s statement went on to back the decision of the board—which includes the Spare author’s friend Mark Dyer—to also step down from Sentebale amid the investigation.

“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,” they said. “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.”

Adding to the controversy, the “heartbroken” pair revealed that Dr. Chandauka is also suing the board of trustees for questioning her leadership of Sentebale, which has focused on supporting young people in Africa affected by the HIV/AIDS crisis since 2006.

“These trustees acted in the best interest of the charity in asking the chair to step down while keeping the well-being of staff in mind,” Harry and Seeiso emphasized. “In turn, she sued the charity to remain in this voluntary position, further underscoring the broken relationship.”

They finished by maintaining their support for the underlying mission of Sentebale nearly 20 years after they cofounded the charity.

“Although we may no longer be patrons, we will always be its founders,” they noted, “and we will never forget what this charity is capable of achieving when it is in the right care.”

For her part, Dr. Chandauka, who has led the board of trustees since last year, shared in a statement that that Sentebale was “not a vanity project from which I can resign when I am called to account.”

“Everything I do at Sentebale is in pursuit of the integrity of the organisation, its mission, and the young people we serve,” she said in a statement obtained by NBC News. “There are people in this world who behave as though they are above the law and mistreat people, and then play the victim card and use the very press they disdain to harm people who have the courage to challenge their conduct.”

She went on to share that she’d reported members of the board to the Charity Commission, which oversees registered charities in England and Wales, for their conduct.

As Dr. Chandauka explained, “Beneath all the victim narrative and fiction that has been syndicated to press is the story of a woman who dared to blow the whistle about issues of poor governance, weak executive management, abuse of power, bullying, harassment, misogyny, misogynoir—and the coverup that ensued. I could be anyone. I just happen to be an educated woman who understands that the law will guide and protect me.”

Former members of the board expressed their disappointment about how the entire situation has unfolded.

“Today’s decision is nothing short of devastating for all of us, but we see no other path forward as the result of our loss in trust and confidence in the chair of the board,” the statement provided to NBC News read. “It’s desperately sad the breakdown in relationship escalated to a lawsuit by the chair against the charity, to block us from voting her out after our request for her resignation was rejected.”

“We could not in good conscience allow Sentebale to undertake that legal and financial burden and have been left with no other option but to vacate our positions,” the trustees continued. “This was not a choice willingly made, but rather something we felt forced into in order to look after the charity.”

Meanwhile, the Charity Commission confirmed that it was looking into the matter.

“We can confirm that we are aware of concerns about the governance of Sentebale,” the organization said in a statement to NBC News. “We are assessing the issues to determine the appropriate regulatory steps.”

Keep reading for more news on the British royal family…

(NBCNews and E! News are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)