[1] His elder brother, Prince Frédéric de Merode,[2] is married and heir to his father's multiple titles as head of the family.

His main focus has been on supporting the work of African wildlife rangers in conflict affected areas by driving economic development in partnership with local communities.

Negotiating the neutral status of environmental and sustainable development imperatives among the warring factions in eastern Congo became a recurring theme in Merode's approach to establishing Virunga National Park as a stabilizing presence in the war-affected Great Lakes Region of Africa.

In 2013 he assisted in the launching of the Virunga Alliance[8] in an effort to drive the post-war economy of eastern Congo as an instrument for peace-building in the region.

A major program aims to generate 80-100,000 jobs in the post-war communities around the national park, providing young Congolese men and women viable alternatives to engaging in conflict related activities.

At his swearing in ceremony, Merode remarked, "The intensity of the conflict in and around the park makes this a daunting challenge, but it is a great privilege to be working alongside such a dedicated and courageous team of rangers.

I have real confidence in our ability to secure a future for the park to ensure that it makes a positive contribution to the lives of the people of North Kivu."

[10] On 15 April 2014, Merode was critically injured by unidentified gunmen during an ambush on the road between Goma and Rumangabo, hours after a meeting with the state prosecutor.