Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have expressed their commitment to the environment and the need for everyone to reduce their carbon footprint on numerous occasions. However, some of their previous actions have been criticized because they appear to indicate the opposite.
In March 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex formally stepped down from their royal roles and retired from their previous lives. However, they have continued to practice one habit that they were chastised for while working for the royals, and it has gone unnoticed.
Critics have mocked Prince Harry in the past, dubbing him the “carbon footprince.”
When Harry gave a speech on global warming to 12,000 young fans in 2019 to encourage them to wake up and act on the harmful effects our way of life is having on the planet, it raised a lot of eyebrows. “Climate change is a humanitarian issue, not a political one,” the duke told the crowd, adding that “we’ve been far too slow in waking up to the issues and acting on the damaging impact our ways of life are having on the world.” We now have the facts, science, technology, and ability to save not only our planet, but ourselves as well.”
According to the Sun, Harry chartered a helicopter from London to Birmingham for a royal engagement just two days before speaking about the effects of climate change and how everyone can make a difference if they do their part. According to The New York Times, Harry was then slammed by the media and dubbed the “carbon footprince.”
The speech came just a few weeks after Meghan flew from New York to London on a private jet with George Clooney’s wife, Amal.
After more trips in private jets, Harry and Meghan have been dubbed “out of touch.”
After relocating to California, the Sussexes continued to travel by private plane to and from their destinations. Despite continuing to preach to the public about climate change, Harry took a private jet back from a charity polo match in August 2021, according to the Express.
Journalist Angela Levin, who met Prince Harry while writing his biography a few years ago, chastised him and his wife for continuing to drive gas-guzzlers after lecturing everyone else on what they should and shouldn’t do.
Levin told talkRADIO, “It shows A) they are out of touch and B) they are huge hypocrites.” “They tell the entire world what we must do; it is critical that we do it; however, they do not believe they are involved; they have an exception because they are so grand and important. But these private jets cause at least ten times as much damage to the atmosphere as a commercial jet and 50 times as much damage as if he took the train, but none of this applies to him.”
“I think it’s outrageous,” Levin continued, “but it’s the same as when he says we all have to be compassionate when they aren’t compassionate to their own parents and family, that we can only have two children when it’s really none of his business, and he jet sets.”
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s justifications for their actions
The palace was questioned about the duke and duchess’ flying habits while they were still working royals, especially after Prince William and his family were spotted on commercial flights.
“Travel decisions are based on a number of factors, including efficient use of time, security, and minimizing the impact on others, while ensuring the full schedule can be delivered,” a spokesperson told The Sun.
“I spend 99 percent of my life traveling the world by commercial,” Harry said, defending his actions. It’s usually as simple as that. Occasionally, there needs to be an opportunity based on a unique circumstance to ensure that my family [is] safe.”