Prince Harry Ends Decade-Long Role With African Parks Amid Charity Controversy, U.K. Return

Prince Harry‘s decade-long tie to one of his favorite causes has officially come to a close, just as he prepares to head back to his homeland.

African Parks confirmed the change in a statement posted to its website on Wednesday, August 19, announcing “a governance refresh of its Board of Directors, welcoming Justice Isaac Lenaola and Alice Ruhweza as incoming members, and expressing deep gratitude to Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex, who will conclude his tenure following a ten-year commitment to the organisation.”

The statement continued, “The Duke has brought global attention to the urgent need for biodiversity protection for the benefit of people and wildlife, and has contributed greatly to promoting philanthropy for the cause of conservation in Africa.”

The news comes after the conservation organization admitted last year that human rights abuses were committed by its rangers in Congo-Brazzaville, following an independent investigation into allegations that guards managed and paid by the charity had beaten, raped and tortured Indigenous people in the Odzala-Kokoua National Park, The Mirror reported Monday, August 24.

According to the outlet, a spokesperson for Harry, 41, confirmed that he remains a supporter of the organization. “The Duke is proud of his 10 years with African Parks and fully supports the ongoing strengthening of its board. His commitment to conservation in Africa continues, and he remains a supporter of African Parks’ mission,” the spokesman said, per the outlet.

Not everyone was sympathetic to the exit. Commentator and broadcaster Dan Wootton, formerly of GB News, weighed in on X on Sunday, August 23, writing, “Prince Harry’s entire world is collapsing. He’s now OUT at African Parks, the charity he led amid accusations of the most despicable human rights abuses. The UK doesn’t need this man. We certainly don’t need to be paying for this man, as 98 per cent of the British public agree.”

Harry first became involved with the charity in 2016, when he took part in an effort to move hundreds of elephants in Malawi to a safer habitat, an experience he later called “amazing,” according to The Mirror.

This marks the second longtime charity role Harry has left in recent memory. Per the outlet, he previously departed Sentebale, an organization he founded more than 20 years ago to honor the legacy of his mother, the late Princess Diana, which supports young people in Southern Africa. That exit followed a highly publicized boardroom clash with chairwoman Dr. Sophie Chandauka, who accused Harry of bullying and harassment — allegations he denied — per the report.

The African Parks news lands as Harry and wife Meghan Markle prepare to relocate to the U.K. with their children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, six years after the couple stepped back from royal life and moved to California.

As Harry closes the door on another longtime commitment, the timing of his move back to the U.K. may be significant. As In Touch previously reported, a royal insider told Page Six that King Charles plays a central role in the decision. The insider noted the Sussexes made plans to leave California weeks after reuniting with the king and Queen Camilla during a visit to England this summer, adding per the report, “They have so many friends and family in the UK whom they remain so close to.”

Harry has been open about wanting to repair his relationship with his father, whose health has weighed on him since Charles’s 2024 cancer diagnosis. “I don’t know how much longer my father has,” he told the BBC in May 2025.

The reunion may be about more than family ties, though. Sources told Rob Shuter’s Naughty But Nice Substack that Harry and Meghan, 45, hope the move will help repair their strained marriage. Per the report, a source said Harry has allegedly grown unhappy with their life in Montecito, while Meghan is said to be reluctantly returning to Britain because she believes “something has to change.”