Carbon foot rince
BRITISH royals spent at least €2.2million on private jet and helicopter trips in a year – before their king Charles gave his climate lecture at Cop28.
Speaking at the environmental summit in Dubai this month, the monarch warned the world remains “dreadfully far off track” in its key climate targets. But his family has been slammed by a climate charity for using “incredibly wasteful” private jets.
The royal jaunts included a flight to watch rugby which could have been made by train. And the tonnes of CO2 equivalent pumped out could have provided electricity for 300 homes for a year.
Sovereign Grant Fund accounts show a total of €4.5m was spent on travel in the year to the end of March, 2023. Our analysis shows the Royals splashed at least €1.22m on charter flights.
Some trips involved the King and Queen €2.2m bill for jet and chopper flights flying between their UK homes, costing tens of thousands each time. And in March they took a chartered flight to Germany for the princely sum of €176,378. Princess Anne’s flights from Brize Norton to Edinburgh and back, for the Scotland v Wales Six Nations rugby match, cost €23,087. And €59,548 went on private jets for her Platinum Jubilee trips to Australia. By contrast, the Prince and Princess of Wales caught scheduled flights to Boston for last year’s Earthshot Prize. The trips, which included earlier staff planning visits, came to €55,967. And in the same year Royals spent €1.19m on helicopter trips.
It means more than €2.2m was spent on private jet and chopper flights. But that figure is likely to be even higher as it does not include journeys where there is no breakdown of trip costs.
Figures also show the Royal Family’s business travel used 1,615 tonnes of CO2 equivalent in the same year. That equates to the emissions from the annual electricity use of 314 homes or more than four million miles clocked up in an average petrol car.
Alethea Warrington, of climate charity Possible, said: “Private jets are incredibly wasteful, cause gigantic emissions – and should be banned. It is not acceptable for the Royals, who should set a good example, to fly around on them.”
Buckingham Palace said: “Royal Travel seeks to find the best balance of safety, security, efficiency, and the need to minimise disruption for others when planning transport for members of the Royal Family.
“Sustainable aviation fuel is used whenever it is available.”