Prince Harry has stepped down from the board of African Parks, ending a decade-long association with the conservation organization after serious allegations of human rights abuses involving some of its rangers.
The Duke of Sussex is no longer a trustee of African Parks, his spokesperson confirmed. The decision comes after an independent investigation examined allegations made by members of the Baka community in the Republic of the Congo.
The controversy became public after allegations emerged that rangers working in the Odzala-Kokoua National Park had subjected Indigenous people to brutal treatment, including beatings, torture and sexual violence. The accusations centered on claims that members of the Baka community were prevented from accessing forests that they regard as their ancestral lands.
African Parks later acknowledged that human rights abuses had taken place in the park and said it had taken steps to strengthen its safeguarding procedures both locally and across the organization.
Despite leaving the board, Harry has made it clear that his connection to conservation has not ended.
His spokesperson said the Duke remains a strong supporter of African Parks and its mission, emphasizing his long-standing commitment to protecting wildlife and biodiversity across Africa.
“His commitment to conservation in Africa continues, and he remains a supporter of African Parks’ mission,” the spokesperson said.
A relationship that lasted a decade
Harry first became involved with African Parks in 2016, when he supported a major elephant relocation project in Malawi. He went on to serve as the organization’s president for six years before joining its board of directors in 2023.
Over the years, his involvement helped bring considerable international attention to African conservation efforts.
African Parks also thanked Harry for his years of involvement, describing his contribution to the organization and its conservation work as significant.
But his departure comes after criticism from Indigenous-rights campaigners, who had urged him to distance himself from the organization.
Survival International, which campaigns for Indigenous peoples’ rights, had previously called on Harry to resign from the board. Its leadership argued that his association with the charity was difficult to reconcile with the allegations surrounding its operations.
The organization has said that Harry’s departure alone does not resolve the larger controversy and has called for African Parks to be held accountable for what happened.
What happens next?
African Parks manages conservation areas covering more than 20 million hectares across Africa, working alongside governments and local communities.
The organization has said that it has strengthened its safeguarding systems following the investigation. The allegations, however, have raised wider questions about the way conservation projects operate when protected areas overlap with lands traditionally used by Indigenous communities.
Harry’s decision to leave the board therefore represents more than just the end of a formal position. It comes at a moment when African conservation organizations are facing growing scrutiny over how wildlife protection can be balanced with the rights of people who have lived on the land for generations.
The timing is also notable for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who are reportedly preparing for an extended stay in the United Kingdom with their children after several years living in California.
Meanwhile, Meghan Markle continues to attract attention over potential acting projects, including reports linking her to the third season of Netflix’s The Gentlemen. Those reports have been followed by conflicting claims about whether the proposed role will actually happen.
For Harry, however, the African Parks controversy marks a significant turning point in a conservation relationship that has lasted ten years — and raises difficult questions about how his future involvement in African conservation will look.