Prince Harry is set to leave the board of African Parks on September 30, bringing his decade of direct involvement with the conservation charity to an end.
The change comes as the Duke of Sussex reportedly prepares to return to the UK within days. According to the Express, Harry may continue supporting African Parks from afar after stepping down during a refresh of its board.
The move follows a difficult period for the organisation. In 2025, Chad ended its 15-year partnership with African Parks, which manages protected areas in partnership with governments and local communities.
Prince Harry steps down from charity
Harry first became involved with African Parks in 2016. During a visit to Malawi, he supported what the report described as one of the biggest elephant relocations ever undertaken.
He later became the charity’s president and held that position for six years. Harry then moved onto its board of directors.
Prince Harry’s spokesperson confirmed the news to GB News. They said: “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.”
Vas Narasimhan, chairperson of the African Parks board, thanked the duke in a statement.
He said: “We extend our thanks to all the members of the Board who generously volunteer their time in support of our conservation mission – and particularly to The Duke of Sussex, for a decade of committed service to African Parks.”
The charity works to conserve wildlife and wild areas across Africa. However, its work has also attracted serious scrutiny following findings about the treatment of the Baka community.
African Parks investigation found human rights abuses
Allegations concerning rangers at Odzala-Kokoua National Park in the Republic of Congo prompted an investigation in 2023.
African Parks hired law firm Omnia Strategy LLP to conduct an independent review. The investigation concluded that some human rights abuses had occurred and identified several failures in the charity’s systems and processes.
African Parks subsequently acknowledged that some of its rangers had committed abuses against members of the Baka community. It accepted the review’s recommendations and pledged to make changes.
The organisation said it would act against staff linked to previously unknown incidents, or cases which managers had failed to address properly, where sufficient evidence existed.
It also announced plans for a framework covering remedies after human rights breaches. Other commitments included a further human rights impact assessment and an independent panel of African judges and specialists to handle serious grievances.
African Parks said it would strengthen safeguards, policies and procedures across its operations. The charity also promised to update its code of conduct and human rights principles.
What happens next for Prince Harry?
After September 30, Harry will no longer hold a direct position at African Parks. However, the Express reports that he will likely remain supportive of its conservation work.
The departure represents another significant change in the duke’s charity roles. Harry also stepped down from Sentebale in March 2025 amid an internal dispute at the organisation he co-founded.
For African Parks, Harry’s exit closes a 10-year period that took him from hands-on conservation work in Malawi to its presidency and, finally, a place on the board. His reported return to Britain now coincides with the final weeks of that formal relationship.
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This article was produced with the assistance of AI technology to synthesise source reporting and structured data. It has been reviewed, edited, and fact-checked by our human editorial team before publication.
