Jeremy Clarkson's friend and business partner quits Prince Harry's charity

14 July 2023 , 22:21
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Johnny Hornby was a trustee of Sentebale for 11 years (Image: Getty Images)
Johnny Hornby was a trustee of Sentebale for 11 years (Image: Getty Images)

Jeremy Clarkson's friend and business partner has quit Prince Harry's charity after being a trustee for 11 years.

Over the past five years Johnny Hornby was also a chairman on the charity's board.

Confirming he has stepped down from charity Sentebale, Mr Hornby told the Mirror this evening: "I have spent 11 years with Sentebale and 5 of them as Chairman - it’s a wonderful charity trying to do all it can to help the life chances of young people in Lesotho and Botswana either infected with or effected by HIV.

"The work the teams do in country is incredible and I hope the charity - now under Sophie’s leadership - will go on to be even more effective in helping young lives. It’s been a privilege to work with Sentebale over more than a decade."

Jeremy Clarkson's friend and business partner quits Prince Harry's charity eiqrkihuitzinvJohnny Hornby (right) has stepped down from Prince Harry's charity (Dave Benett/Getty Images for Aud)
Jeremy Clarkson's friend and business partner quits Prince Harry's charityJeremy Clarkson and Johnny Hornby launched Hawkstone lager together

Mr Hornby's exit follows incorrect reports he urged former Top Gear presenter Clarkson to apologise about comments he made about Meghan Markle last year.

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Speaking to the Mirror this evening, Mr Hornby dismissed those reports and said: "Jeremy’s decision to apologise to Meghan for what he had said was entirely his ..and anyone who knows Jeremy as I do - knows he’s never told what to do by anyone else."

Prince Harry is believed to have paid tribute to PR holdings company The&Partnership founder, praising his "leadership and vision" as well as "dedication, partnership and friendship".

Harry and the charity's co-founder, Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, also thanked him for enabling Sentebale to "deliver holistic support to thousands in Lesotho and Botswana" as well as his "incredible" commitment to the children and young people of southern Africa.

Sentebale helps children and adolescents struggling to come to terms with their HIV status. Prince Harry co-founded the charity in 2006.

As well as working and being photographed with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Johnny built up a friendship and business relationship with Jeremy Clarkson.

Hornby teamed up with the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? presenter to launch a brewing venture, Hawkstone, to produce lager, pale ale and a cider.

Last year the British presenter hit headlines when he wrote a vile article hitting out at Meghan Markle. In an abhorrent rant, the former Top Gear host wrote that he "hated" the former Suits actress "on a cellular level" and wanted to see her "paraded naked through the streets".

Clarkson received strong backlash against his article which was taken down after it was branded misogynistic. He also sent an apology email on Christmas day, saying he was "really sorry" all the way "from the balls of my feet to the follicles on my head".

The Sussexes responded by stating that the email was only sent to Prince Harry and blasted him for not addressing his "long standing pattern of writing articles that spread hate rhetoric, dangerous conspiracy theories, and misogyny".

Jeremy then published a public apology to the Duchess. In response Harry and Meghan issued a statement, stating that it was "clear that this is not an isolated incident shared in haste, but rather a series of articles shared in hate".

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Mia O'Hare

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