Prince Harry has ended his formal ten-year association with African Parks, stepping down as a trustee on the board of directors for the conservation non-profit organization. The announcement follows widespread public scrutiny over severe human rights abuses committed by eco-rangers managed by the charity in central Africa.
African Parks manages 24 protected areas across 13 countries in Africa and receives significant financial support from international funding bodies, including the European Union and the United States government. The organization became embroiled in controversy after investigative media outlets, including Britain’s Mail on Sunday and Germany’s Tagesschau, published detailed accounts of misconduct by park guards. In May 2025, an independent investigation confirmed that rangers employed by the charity were involved in systematic rights abuses against the indigenous Baka community near Odzala-Kokoua National Park in the Republic of Congo. Members of the local hunter-gatherer population reported incidents of physical beatings, torture, and rape committed by guards seeking to enforce park boundaries and prevent traditional forest access.
Human rights advocacy groups, including Survival International, had actively called for Prince Harry’s resignation from the governing board following the revelation of these findings. While African Parks acknowledged that rights violations had taken place and subsequently moved to reinforce institutional safeguarding procedures, the charity did not publicly release granular details regarding specific findings from the internal probe.
Both African Parks and official representatives for the Duke of Sussex framed the departure as a planned transition. According to statements released by the organization, the board and Prince Harry mutually agreed to end his formal governance role as part of a routine institutional refresh. The charity explicitly clarified that the prince was not forcibly removed from his position.
Prince Harry’s work with African Parks began around 2015, during which he assisted in high-profile initiatives such as the relocation of hundreds of elephants in Malawi. He served as the organization’s president for six years, from 2017 until 2023, before transitioning to a formal seat on the board of directors. A spokesperson for Prince Harry stated that he remains proud of his decade of service, fully supports the restructuring of the board, and intends to continue supporting conservation initiatives across the continent as a non-trustee advocate.
This institutional departure coincides with broader changes in Prince Harry’s public life. The development comes shortly after public confirmation that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex intend to relocate their primary residence back to the United Kingdom from California, where they have lived with their two children since stepping back from royal duties in 2020.
Source: Compiled from various sources
