Prince Harry is not parting ways with Travalyst, the enviromentalist tourism company he set up in 2019, after a statement from Chief Executive Officer Sally Davey confirmed he was still an “invaluable part” of the initiative.
Rumours began that the royal was leaving Travalyst when a press release from May failed to mention him or his work in the business, while also announcing a new “phase of growth”.
The press release explained: “Today we formally mark the end of Travalyst’s pilot phase with the appointment of a new Board to govern and guide us on our journey ahead to delivering major positive and system-changing impact.
“The Board is composed of individuals with world-class expertise in impact, systems change, not-for-profit governance, advocacy, and campaigning for a just and sustainable world.”
However Ms Davey then clarified on Monday: “Prince Harry is the founder of Travalyst and remains an invaluable part of this organization. His role has not changed in any way, and he is regularly involved in strategic discussions and decisions alongside our partners and Board.”
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The Duke also remains listed on the Travalyst website as a founder and patron, as he developed the company in order to help “both travellers and travel companies make better, greener choices”.
Harry revealed that the idea for the business had first come to him in 2012 after a visit to the Caribbean, during which he had an eye-opening encounter with a seven-year-old boy.
At a coral reef replanting project the boy came up to Harry and said something which “touched on a powerful truth”, as Harry later explained: “I had a 7-year-old come up to me, tug my shirt, and say with such conviction, ‘Because of your country, my country’s coral reef is dying’.”
He added: “This boy, despite his age, had touched on a powerful truth. He already understood that the environmental damage caused to the reef was created by the actions of people outside of his country.
“And he was absolutely spot on. His words deeply affected me because they revealed the full impact outsiders can have on a community without even realising it.”
One PR expert has speculated that Harry may have even requested the change to the company, as Sean O’Meara told the Daily Mail: “This move to lower Harry’s prominence as Travalyst enters a new phase of growth looks and feels strategic. It’s not an oversight.
“Harry had become something of a lightning rod for negative PR which was harming perceptions of the organisations he was trying to support.”
In spite of his environmentalist credentials Harry and his wife Meghan Markle have been criticised for using private jets while travelling internationally.
The Duke has defended his actions, citing security concerns for his family, saying in a speech: “We can all do better. And while no one is perfect, we are all responsible for our own individual impact; the question is what we do to balance it out.”
