Prince Harry, a former senior official in the royal family, received heartbreaking news when Survival International asked him to resign as a board member of African Parks.
In a shocking development, the Duke of Sussex has been urged by the indigenous rights charity to leave African Parks. Harry officially became a board member in 2023, but the group is now facing scrutiny after confessions and accusations of serious irregularities across its operations.
Harry, 41, joined the organization in 2016, going from an on-the-ground volunteer to official president.
The Duke of Sussex attended a fundraising event in Scottsdale, Arizona, this week as the organization seeks to raise an additional $1 billion (£743m).
Following an independent investigation by law firm Omnia Strategy, African Parks admitted in May 2025 that its ecoguards committed serious human rights abuses.
The allegations included rapes and beatings against the indigenous Baka people in the Republic of the Congo’s Odzala-Kokoua National Park.
Critics have condemned his decision to keep the full investigation report confidential.
African Parks takes full responsibility for managing national parks in 13 countries across central, southern, eastern and western Africa, protecting wildlife and supporting local communities.
In Chad, the Government temporarily suspended the African Parks management mandate over allegations of fraud, financial mismanagement and unexplained wildlife deaths, although operations were later restored following pressure from international donors such as the European Union.
On Wednesday, Survival International told the Times that “the problems on the ground have not been resolved.”
Caroline Pearce, director of Survival International, told the publication: “It is outrageous to see Harry’s continued support for African Parks despite the horrific human rights abuses committed by his rangers against the Baka.”
In response, an African Parks spokesperson said: “Over the past few years, African Parks has made substantial and sustained investment in human rights safeguards in Odzala-Kokoua National Park.”
According to the statement, three independent human rights NGO partners are providing reliable reporting channels for local communities around the park, and an independent panel of eminent African judges and human rights specialists overseeing the complaints mechanism, including the handling of all serious complaints.”
Meanwhile, representatives for the Duke of Sussex referred the post to the May 2025 statement made by African Parks, which said: “Specifically, at Odzala, we will take action against members of staff involved in previously unknown incidents, or those that have not been adequately dealt with, where sufficient evidence is available.”
However, there is no suggestion that Prince Harry was involved, aware of or connected to any of the alleged abuse.
