Prince Harry leaves African Parks board after abuse findings

Prince Harry has stepped down from the board of African Parks, a conservation charity that last year acknowledged its rangers were involved in rights abuses at a national park in the Republic of Congo, his spokesman confirmed Monday.

African Parks said Harry and the board had mutually agreed that, after 10 years of service, he would end his formal role as part of a routine governance refresh. The charity said he was not removed from the board.

Harry's spokesman said he was proud of his 10 years with African Parks, supported the strengthening of its board and remained a supporter of the charity's conservation mission in Africa.

African Parks manages 24 protected areas in 13 countries and has received EU and US funding. It said last year that an independent investigation had confirmed abuse allegations at Odzala-Kokoua National Park in northern Congo, but did not detail the violations against the Baka community, a hunter-gatherer group living near the park.

Britain's Mail on Sunday and Germany's Tagesschau reported that local people alleged rape, beatings, torture and other abuses by guards employed by African Parks.

Harry served as president of African Parks for six years until 2023, then joined its governing board of directors.