Prince Harry, former senior working royal family, has received heartbreaking news as Survival International called on him to step down as a member of African Parks’ board of directors.
In a shocking development, the indigenous rights charity has urged the Duke of Sussex to quit African Parks. Harry became an officially appointed board member in 2023, but the group now faces scrutiny after admissions and allegations of serious wrongdoing across its operations.
Harry, 41, became affiliated with the organisation in 2016, transitioning from an on-the-ground volunteer to the official President.
The Duke of Sussex attended a fundraising event in Scottsdale, Arizona this week as the organisation seeks to raise an additional $1billion (£743million).
Following an independent investigation by law firm Omnia Strategy, African Parks admitted in May 2025 that its eco-guards committed severe human rights abuses.
Allegations included rape and beatings against the indigenous Baka people in the Republic of the Congo’s Odzala-Kokoua National Park.
Critics have condemned its decision to keep the full investigation report confidential.
African Parks assumes full responsibility for managing national parks across 13 countries in Central, Southern, East and West Africa, protecting wildlife and supporting local communities.
In Chad, the Government temporarily suspended African Parks’ management mandate over allegations of fraud, financial mismanagement, and unexplained wildlife deaths, though operations were later reinstated following pressure from international donors like the European Union.
On Wednesday, Survival International claimed to the Times that “the problems on the ground have not been solved”.
Caroline Pearce, director of Survival International, told the publication: “It is outrageous to see Harry’s continued support to African Parks despite the horrific human rights abuses committed by its rangers against the Baka.”
In response, a spokesman for African Parks said: “Over the past several years, African Parks has made substantial and sustained investment in human rights safeguards in Odzala-Kokoua national park.”
As per the statement, three independent human rights NGO partners are providing trusted reporting channels for local communities around the park, and an independent panel of eminent African judges and human rights specialists who oversee the grievance mechanism, including the handling of all serious grievances.”
Meanwhile, representatives for the Duke of Sussex referred the publication to the May 2025 statement made by African Parks, which read: “Specifically, in Odzala, we will take action against staff members implicated in previously unknown incidents or those that had not been adequately dealt with, where sufficient evidence is available.”
However, there is no suggestion that Prince Harry was involved in, aware of, or connected to any of the alleged abuses.
2026-05-29 11:00:00
