The Duke of Sussex has formally relinquished his role as a board member of the African Parks, a significant development following six years of service. This decision comes amidst growing scrutiny regarding the charity’s operations and alleged human rights abuses committed by its rangers within Congo-Brazzaville. A spokesman for Prince Harry confirmed the resignation, stating he remains a ‘supporter of African Parks’s mission’ and fully aligned with the organization’s goals of conservation in Africa. Last year, African Parks admitted to instances of rangers engaging in practices that constituted human rights violations against indigenous people, including beatings, rapes, and torture, as evidenced by an independent human rights investigation. Prior to this, Prince Harry’s involvement with the charity had been characterized by a significant focus on translocations – specifically, the 500 Elephants project, a landmark initiative undertaken in 2025. This project aimed to relocate elephants from a Malawi park to bolster populations in areas where they face significant poaching pressure, thereby mitigating the risk of further trafficking. The charity’s documented history includes a 2025 report detailing improvements to safeguarding processes across the Odzala-Kokoua National Park and institutionally. African Parks, as a key managing organization for 20 national parks across 12 countries, has been subject to an independent human rights investigation into allegations that the rangers managed and paid by the charity had acted in ways that involved violence, assault, and sexual abuse against indigenous people. The investigation, which concluded in 2025, revealed the charity had documented improvements to their safeguarding processes across the park, though the findings were not entirely conclusive. African Parks’ website highlights Prince Harry’s work as part of a dedicated team that played a crucial role in the implementation of the initial phase of the 500 Elephants project, a significant undertaking involving the movement of elephants from a Malawi park to support increased populations in areas where they are heavily poached. The project saw expert wildlife biologists moving elephants from a park in Malawi to assist in increasing elephant populations in areas where they have been severely poached. Prince Harry himself described the experience of working with elephants in safer homes as ‘an amazing’ endeavor, emphasizing the importance of biodiversity conservation for the benefit of people and wildlife. Following this announcement, the Sussexes are expected to return to the UK after enrolling their children in a British school, a development that has raised questions about their security arrangements. The BBC reported that the Duchess of Sussex was involved in discussions regarding a potential return to acting with a role in a Netflix series, ‘The Gentlemen,’ which would be her first significant acting role since her marriage to Prince Harry. The prospect of the Sussexes’ return to the UK has been accompanied by speculation regarding their security, with a legal challenge regarding the levels of security they are entitled to while residing in the UK. Previously, Prince Harry experienced a legal setback related to security provisions, a challenge that has not been fully resolved, and the ongoing uncertainty regarding their security arrangements in the UK remains a point of considerable discussion. The BBC also noted that the Duchess of Sussex had reportedly been in discussions with casting directors regarding a potential role in the Netflix series, ‘The Gentlemen,’ which would serve as her first major acting role since her marriage to Prince Harry, a role that has generated considerable interest within the entertainment industry. The couple’s plans while residing in the UK are currently unclear, and the ongoing situation necessitates careful monitoring of their security protocols. The situation surrounding the Sussexes’ security is also complicated by the fact that they have recently been in talks with a production company to film a segment of the series.”}
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Source: Adom Online
