Prince Harry has stepped down from the board of African Parks following a human rights abuse scandal involving rangers in the Republic of the Congo. The conservation charity confirmed his departure after a decade-long tenure, which included serving as president and later as a director.
Prince Harry Departs African Parks Board Following Ranger Abuses
Prince Harry is no longer a trustee of African Parks, a major conservation organization that manages protected areas across Africa, according to confirmation from his spokesperson. The departure comes ahead of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex relocating to the UK with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, after six years living in California.
The exit follows severe controversy surrounding the charity. Last year, African Parks acknowledged that human rights abuses were committed by its rangers in the Republic of the Congo. The admission followed an independent human rights investigation into allegations that guards managed and paid by the charity had beaten, raped, and tortured indigenous people within the Odzala-Kokoua National Park.
Indigenous Baka Community Accusations and Independent Investigation
The allegations first gained widespread attention following reports detailing abuses against the indigenous Baka hunter-gatherer community living near the national park. Members of the community accused park rangers of severe violence designed to stop them from accessing their ancestral forests.
In response to the mounting pressure, African Parks commissioned an independent investigation led by a team of international human rights lawyers. Following the review, the charity formally acknowledged that human rights abuses occurred.
Despite the acknowledgment, human rights organizations such as Survival International criticized the charity for refusing to make the full findings of the independent report public. Campaigners had repeatedly urged Prince Harry to sever ties with the organization.
“It’s outrageous that for 10 years Prince Harry has served African Parks while the organization has been responsible for abuse and violence against Indigenous people. His departure doesn’t undo that record — African Parks itself must now be held accountable, and must abandon this model of fortress conservation for good.”
Caroline Pearce, executive director of Survival International
Charity and Representative Statements on the Ten-Year Tenure
African Parks described Prince Harry’s exit as part of a routine governance refresh of the African Parks Board, noting that the change reflected the natural evolution of board membership and was not connected to any other matter. The nonprofit expressed deep gratitude for his decade-long service, which began when he joined an elephant translocation project in Malawi in July 2016.
Harry served as president of African Parks for six years before joining its board of directors in 2023. Representatives for the duke emphasized that he remains supportive of the organization’s broader conservation goals while stepping away from his formal governance role.
“The Duke is proud of his ten years with African Parks and fully supports the ongoing strengthening of its board. His commitment to conservation in Africa continues, and he remains a supporter of African Parks’ mission.”
Spokesperson for Prince Harry, via Newsweek
Safeguarding Reforms and Ongoing Institutional Changes
Founded 26 years ago in 2000, African Parks manages more than 20 million hectares across 13 African countries in partnership with local governments and communities. Following the review, the charity reported that it had improved its safeguarding processes both institutionally and within the Odzala-Kokoua National Park.
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