Prince Harry quits charity dogged by controversy as public eyes his and Meghan’s return with suspicion
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The Duke of Sussex has resigned from the board of an African charity dogged by controversy in recent years including allegations of rape, torture and other abuses by rangers.
Prince Harry, who is due to return to Britain this week with wife Meghan and their two children, was praised for his “decade of committed service” by the charity which manages 24 protected areas across 13 African countries.
Prince Harry became president of African Parks in 2017 and now holds no formal roles with any charities in Africa. Frank Weitzer/African Parks
The end of the duke’s tenure marks his final formal role with an African charity five months after he stepped down as a patron of Sentebale, the charity he co-founded with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho to help children who had lost parents to HIV/Aids.
Prince Harry had been linked with African Parks since 2016 and served as president for six years, from 2017.
In 2023, he was made a member of the Board of Directors, the governing body of the organisation.
The charity confirmed Harry would “conclude his tenure” on its board as part of a “governance refresh”. His role will officially end at its board meeting on September 30.
“The duke is proud of his ten years with African Parks and fully supports the ongoing strengthening of its board,” a spokesperson for the duke said.
“His commitment to conservation in Africa continues, and he remains a supporter of African Parks’ mission.”
Prince Harry last travelled to Africa in August 2022 for the charity, visiting Mozambique to carry out conversation work, and co-hosting a group of US officials, conservationists and philanthropists.
The move comes just over a year after African Parks admitted that human rights abuses were committed by its rangers in the Republic of the Congo, following an independent review into allegations made by members of the Baka community.
The Duke of Sussex will return to the UK later this week with Meghan and their two children, who are enrolled in a British school. AP Photo/Alex Brandon
Rangers were accused of beating, waterboarding and raping locals to stop them from accessing their ancestral forests, which are now in a conservation area.
The charity said it deeply regretted the suffering caused but has not published the full report.
African Parks also found itself at the centre of a dispute with Chad late last year after the government accused the charity of arrogance, serious financial misconduct and failing to protect wildlife. Chad ended its 15-year relationship with the charity, also claiming it illegally collected money from tourism, which it allegedly prioritised over conservation.
However, Chad has since repaired relations and signed long-term agreements with African Parks in July.
Prince Harry’s connection with African Parks brought the organisation publicity it otherwise might not have had, even though it has the support of wealthy patrons, including billionaire philanthropists Howard Buffett, Bill Ackman and Rob Walton, heir to the Walmart fortune.
The Duke of Sussex no longer has any formal roles with charities in Africa, despite the continent having played an important role in both his public and private lives.
In 2016, he took Meghan to Botswana soon after their first date and they spent a week there camping.
Nearly half of Britons are wary of Prince Harry and Meghan’s motives for their unexpected return. Getty
His brother, Prince William, continues to have strong ties with Africa as patron of the charity Tusk.
Britons hoping for a royal reunion
Prince Harry and Meghan, along with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, are expected to arrive in the UK later this week.
The Sussexes are planning an extended stay in the UK and their children, who are aged seven and five, are enrolled in a British mixed independent school. They are due to begin in early September.
Their return comes six years after Prince Harry and Meghan left Britain to pursue financial freedom in the United States.
More than half of the British public want Prince William and Prince Harry to reunite, according to new polling by YouGov via The Times. Getty
However, their decision to come back now has some sectors of the public filled with suspicion.
New polling by YouGov has found 46 per cent had an unfavourable view of the couple’s return, compared with 27 per cent who had a positive attitude, The Times reports.
It was bad news for the royal family, 44 per cent of people thought, compared to 23 per cent of those who believed Harry and Meghan’s return was good news.
The Prince and Princess of Wales were photographed driving to church near Balmoral Castle on Sunday. Getty Images Europe
However, more than half of the public is holding out hope for Prince William and Prince Harry to reunite. Fifty-eight per cent said they wanted a reconciliation between Harry and William, but 35 per cent did not think it was possible.
Prince William and Prince Harry are not thought to have spoken since September 2022 when Queen Elizabeth II died.
They were last seen together at the funeral of their uncle Lord Fellowes in 2024 but according to those at the church, the brothers kept their distance and did not interact with each other.
The Prince and Princess of Wales, and their three children, are currently on holidays at Balmoral Castle with King Charles and Queen Camilla.
They were seen driving to church on Sunday, just days after news of Harry and Meghan’s UK return was made public.
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