Private jets crucial to keeping my family safe, says Harry
Duke tells eco-tourism group he ‘balances impact’ of travelling on non-commercial aircraft
THE Duke of Sussex has defended his use of private jets, saying the “unique circumstances” of his family’s safety made it sometimes essential, and promised to “balance out the impact I have”.
Launching an eco-tourism initiative in Amsterdam yesterday, Harry in- sisted he would never choose to fly privately if there were other options and admitted “we can all do better” when it comes to sustainable travel.
He said “99 per cent” of his flights were commercial and that he had always offset his carbon footprint, but that “no one is perfect”.
The Duke took a commercial flight to Amsterdam to launch Travalyst, a collaboration between Booking.com, Ctrip, Skyscanner, Tripadvisor and Visa, to find solutions to the threats facing the Earth as a result of the growing tourism industry.
Asked directly about his own travel choices, Harry said: “I came here on commercial. I spend 99 per cent of my life travelling the world by commercial. Occasionally, there needs to be an opportunity based on unique circumstance to ensure that my family are safe. It’s genuinely as simple as that.
“If I have to do that – and it’s not a decision I would want to take – then I will ensure, as I have done previously and will continue to ensure that I do, is to balance out the impact that I have.
“I’ve always offset my CO2. We need to make it cool. Somehow we need to connect people to where this money is actually going, and the moment you have that connection and can actually see the difference that you’re making, then I think that’s acceptable.”
Earlier in the Q&A session, the Duke had raised the issue himself by asking the panel: “Is the solution to sustainable aviation not encouraging people to fly less often?”
Jane Sun, chief executive of Ctrip, replied that the solution lies in “investing in technology” to improve fuel efficiency and make air travel time shorter.
In a speech, the Duke outlined his hopes that the public will soon be able to select “sustainable” travel options as a default, allowing developing countries to benefit directly from tourism and halt the destruction caused by too many visitors. He stayed in Amsterdam for one night before the speech and joked that he had enjoyed his “best night’s sleep in four months”, since the birth of his son Archie.
The Duke has faced accusations of hypocrisy over a series of overseas trips by private jets this summer, which appeared to be in contrast to his public proclamations on the environment.
While other members of the Royal Family also fly by private charter, the Sussexes’ travel plans became a worldwide talking point after public figures, including Sir Elton John, cited threats to their safety last month.
It is not possible to calculate the accuracy of the Duke’s “99 per cent” claim, as much of his personal travel is not a matter of public record, but he is known to have taken at least four private charters in August.
On Saturday, the Duke of York will attend a ceremony to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Bruges, his first overseas visit since the death of Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier who died last month awaiting trial for the sex trafficking.
The Duke has been accused by a former “sex slave” of Epstein of having sex with her when she was 17.