A charity set up by Prince Harry to help deprived African children has been embroiled in a row over the funding of an orphanage in Lesotho.

Lydia Muso, of the Lesotho Child Counselling Unit (LCCU) which caters for 17 sexually and physically abused children, reportedly said that after initial help it had stopped receiving money from the Sentebale charity launched by the prince in 2006.

Harry and his elder brother Prince William last week undertook a 1,000-mile off-road motorcycle ride across South Africa to try to raise £300,000 for charities, including Sentebale, although some have accused the princes of treating the trip primarily as a “jolly”.

“They [Sentebale] have promised us 500,000 South African rand [£30,000] for the day-to-day running of this sanctuary for children. But none of the money has arrived,” said Muso.

“I have had to beg and borrow to pay the costs of seven staff, the lighting, the administration, the transport and even the food for the boys and girls. It is so unfair.”

Muso added that she “respected” Harry, who visited the unit as recently as two months ago, for the work he had done to help.

Miguel Head, Sentebale’s spokesman at Clarence House, said it had given LCCU £28,000 to help it start up. “This year we still plan to give £38,000 to LCCU and spend a further £27,000 on management support and training,” he said.

He said one reason for Sentebale’s delay was because it was not satisfied with Muso’s initial request for funding to be paid directly into her own bank account.

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