Of all the causes dear to Prince Harry’s heart, few are more important than Sentebale, the charity he co-founded as a happy bachelor in 2006, dedicated to fighting poverty and AIDS in Lesotho and Botswana. But from now on, his work will go on without one of his savviest operators, advertising king Johnny Hornby.
I can report that 56-year-old Hornby – half-brother of About A Boy author Nick Hornby and brother-in-law of best-selling thriller author Robert Harris – has stepped down after 11 years as trustee, the last five of which have been chairman of Sentebale.
His departure has prompted Harry to acknowledge his “leadership and vision” as well as his “commitment, partnership and friendship”. Harry and the charity’s co-founder, Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, called Hornby’s commitment to the children and youth of southern Africa “incredible” and thanked him for enabling Sentebale to “provide holistic support to thousands in Lesotho and Botswana”. .
Fellow entrepreneurs in hard-nosed advertising country recognize Hornby’s talents. “He’s smart, there’s no doubt about that. “A skilled operator and a tough businessman,” one tells me, adding that Hornby is in many ways comparable to advertising giant – and his one-time ally – Sir Martin Sorrell.
There’s certainly no doubting Hornby’s smoothness. During his time as a trustee at Sentebale, he was regularly snapped into casual, friendly conversations with Harry and Meghan, or discreetly walked behind them, as he did when the pair attended a London performance of Hamilton, the award-winning rap musical.
Johnny Hornby has stepped down after 11 years as chairman of Prince Harry’s charity. Pictured: Mr Hornby with Meghan Markle at the Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club in July 2018
The ad king has a business partnership with Jeremy Clarkson, who has faced backlash over comments about Meghan Markle in a column. Pictured: Mr Clarkson (left), Mr Hornby (centre) and Kaleeb Cooper (right) at the launch of Hawkstone lager in November 2021
But his familiarity with the Sussexes didn’t stop him from pursuing a similarly warm friendship and professional relationship with someone very far from the couple’s circle – Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? Presenter Jeremy Clarkson.
Sharing the high-dynamic broadcaster’s ambition and optimism, Hornby joined him at a brewing company, Hawkstone, to produce a strong lager, as well as a lager and cider.
Their partnership might have gone unnoticed if Clarkson hadn’t decided late last year to write an article suggesting he hates Meghan “on a cellular level,” adding – seemingly inspired by a scene from Game of Thrones Thrones – that he wanted to see her parading naked through the streets while people threw excrement at her.
When this drew criticism, Clarkson wrote a private, confidential letter to Harry on Christmas Day.
Then Hornby is said to have intervened. “Johnny is friends with both Jeremy and Harry, so he was kind of in the thick of it,” said one of Hornby’s allies. “He suggested it would be a good idea for Jeremy to apologize.”
Apparently, Clarkson took the hint and penned a lengthy and pathetic public apology.
It failed to mollify Harry and Meghan, who said in a statement it was “clear this is not an isolated incident to be shared in a hurry, but a series of hateful articles.”
In one respect, however, the apology actually worked: a boycott of Hawkstone lager that seemed possible – and which one pub had already initiated – did not materialize.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were undeterred by Clarkson’s apology for his comments, writing that it was “clear that this is not an isolated incident being hastily shared, but rather a series of hateful articles.” Pictured: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex at the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Ripple of Hope Gala at the New York Hilton in December 2022
Only the most cynical would assume that Hornby’s sole motivation was to protect his shared brewing interests with Clarkson. When asked about his work for Sentebale in the past – and whether it could be a stepping stone to being knighted – he immediately replied, “If anyone deserves one, it would be Harry himself for his work on it.”
But the end of his association with the charity may make things a little easier for his second wife Clare, with whom he lives in Notting Hill, west London. Not in the shadows, she founded and runs clothing brand Me+Em’s, which is valued at well over £100m.
When asked last year who had the greatest impact on her business, she had no hesitation in answering “the Duchess” – not Meghan, but Catherine, who was, of course, the Duchess of Cambridge at the time. “There’s no one like her.” As far as global appeal goes, nothing comes close,” Clare added. “And rightly so. She is amazing. So stoic.’
Not even her very gentle husband could change that…