Prince Harry steps down as trustee of African Parks following human rights controversy

Prince Harry has officially stepped down as a trustee of African Parks, a nonprofit organization that manages protected areas across 13 African countries. The prince's departure follows a decade of service, including six years as the charity's president, and comes after the organization admitted to human rights abuses committed by its rangers in the Republic of the Congo. An independent review found that rangers allegedly beat, waterboarded, and raped indigenous people in the Odzala-Kokoua National Park to limit access to ancestral forests. While the human rights group Survival International called for Prince Harry to resign due to these abuses, a spokesperson for the prince confirmed he remains an active supporter of the charity's mission. African Parks announced a "governance refresh" of its board, welcoming two new members to replace the duke. The move comes as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle prepare to relocate from California back to the United Kingdom. The couple will remain private citizens and will not return to official royal duties.

Sources

• BBC
  Prince Harry steps down from African wildlife charity board
• The Hill
  Prince Harry quits African conservation charity after rangers’ human rights abuses
• The Guardian
  Prince Harry quits board of wildlife charity after rangers’ human rights abuses
• People.com
  Prince Harry Steps Down from Longtime Charity Role amid Scandal Ahead of His U.K. Return
• The Telegraph
  Prince Harry quits African charity at centre of rape and torture claims