Prince Harry & Meghan Markle’s Private Jet Use Defended By Elton John
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been receiving much criticism for their use of four private jet trips in just 11 days, but at least the couple has one famous face in their corner. The Daily Mail reports that Elton John has come to Harry and Meghan’s defense, claiming that he both paid for the flights and made a carbon neutral donation when the Sussex squad visited the legendary singer earlier this month.
“I am deeply distressed by today’s distorted and malicious account in the press surrounding the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s private stay at my home in Nice last week,” Elton John wrote in a statement on Instagram.
“After a hectic year continuing their hard work and dedication to charity, David and I wanted the young family to have a private holiday inside the safety and tranquillity of our home,” he added, after referencing his desire to protect the Duke of Sussex and his family due to his personal friendship with Harry’s mother, Princess Diana.
“To maintain a high level of much-needed protection, we provided them with a private jet flight. To support Prince Harry’s commitment to the environment, we ensured their flight was carbon neutral, by making the appropriate contribution to Carbon Footprint.”
As previously reported by The Inquisitr, the royal couple had received heat for flying privately to Ibiza despite their stance on environmental issues. The critique has only grown now it has been learned that pair took a second vacation to Nice within three days of returning from Ibiza.
According to The Daily Mail, the two trips totaled seven tons of carbon dioxide to be released into the atmosphere. This means that the couple emitted in a little under two weeks half of what the average British citizen emits in a year. This also does not include Prince Harry’s own private travels to the Google Camp in Sicily, for which he also traveled via private plane.
Moreover, despite the fact that Elton John paid for a carbon credit, many scientists believe that they do little more than assuage a guilty conscience. A study covered by Inside Climate News deemed the scheme to be “worthless” at protecting the environment.
Fans of Harry and Meghan have expressed their disappointment that the couple, who have been vocal about their quest to help the environment, have nonetheless eschewed using more eco-conscious transportation. By contrast, a royal blog claimed that the Cambridge clan flew commercially to the Caribbean island of St. Lucia, though they then boarded a private plane to their final destination of Mustique (via Harper’s Bazaar).
