Prince Harry steps down from African Parks charity board

The Duke of Sussex has resigned from the board of African Parks, a charity focused on wildlife conservation in Africa, following revelations that some of its rangers were involved in human rights abuses against indigenous communities. Prince Harry had been serving as president for six years before joining the board of directors in 2023. Although he is stepping down from this official role, a spokesperson confirmed he continues to support the charity’s mission.

The charity disclosed last year that rangers employed in the Odzala-Kokoua National Park in Congo-Brazzaville had committed serious human rights violations, including beatings, rape, and torture. An independent investigation had previously examined these allegations. African Parks has since reported improvements in its safeguarding measures both at the park and within its overall organizational structure. The charity expressed gratitude to Prince Harry for raising global awareness about biodiversity protection and promoting philanthropic efforts for conservation in Africa.

African Parks oversees approximately 20 national parks and protected areas in a dozen African nations. The organization noted that Prince Harry played a key role in launching the initial phase of the 500 Elephants project, which was one of the largest elephant relocation efforts in conservation history. This initiative involved transferring elephants from a park in Malawi to safer habitats to help restore their populations after heavy poaching. Prince Harry described his involvement in moving the elephants as an “amazing” experience.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex recently announced their move from California back to the UK with their children, Archie and Lilibet, who are set to begin schooling there in September. Their return has prompted questions regarding their security arrangements, as Prince Harry had lost a legal challenge last year concerning the level of security he and his family are entitled to in the UK. While the couple’s official royal status will remain unchanged and they will continue as private individuals, the details surrounding their activities and protection in the UK are still unclear. The Duchess is reportedly in negotiations to resume acting with a role in the Netflix series *The Gentlemen*, marking her first major acting project since her marriage to Prince Harry. The couple had stepped back from royal duties and relocated to California in early 2020

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