Meghan Markle’s private jet trip back from the Invictus Games in Canada could have cost up to $30,000 and created six tonnes of CO2 on the three-hour flight that included a mystery stopover in the US, MailOnline can reveal today.
The Duchess of Sussex, 43, has jetted back home to California from Vancouver – without her husband Harry – and the couple are believed to have used the same $9million plane to fly up last week.
The average cost of hiring a jet of that size is between $7,000 to $10,000 per hour meaning that the former Suits star’s flight home could have cost between $21,000 and $30,000.
Meghan and Harry have previously won green awards and were even named environmental ‘role models’ in 2021.
But Meghan’s flight will have burned around 800 gallons of fuel and created around 6.6 tonnes of CO2, which weighs the same as a large elephant.
Meghan landed at Santa Barbara Airport at 5.01pm on Tuesday after supporting her husband in Canada at Invictus’ first winter games.
But MailOnline can reveal that the flight logs for the Bombardier CL-600 luxury jet show that it stopped in Seattle for around 30 minutes before taking off again for its final destination.
Meghan Markle was spotted disembarking a private jet which brought her home to California, after she left the Invictus Games in Canada
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex kiss during the opening ceremony of the 2025 Invictus Games at BC Place in Vancouver
This is what the inside of the private jet she travelled in looks like. There are comfy seats for up to ten passengers and a crew serving food and drink. It has a transatlantic range
Aides said the trip home was pre-planned and Meghan had only intended to stay for five days as she had at the 2023 event in Germany
She took off from Vancouver at 2.06pm local time on February 11 and landed over the border in Seattle at 2.40pm.
The private jet took off again at 3.14pm and landed in Santa Barbara almost two hours later.
The Bombardier CL-600, which can carry up to ten passengers and has a range of over 5,000 miles, includes its own a private crew serving hot meals and drinks.
It also has a large hold for bags and other items, exemplified by the amount of luggage taken out when the Duchess of Sussex landed in California on Tuesday.
MailOnline has asked a spokesman for the Duchess why she used a private plane rather than a commercial flight and the reason for the pitstop in Seattle.
Meghan flew back to be with their children Archie and Lilibet in Montecito after spending five days in Vancouver and the ski resort of Whistler with Harry to mark the seventh edition of the Invictus Games.
Aides said the trip home was pre-planned and Meghan had only intended to stay for five days as she had at the 2023 event in Germany.
Following his wife’s departure, the prince reportedly took a day off to relax and ‘unwind’ ahead of attending the remaining events solo.
The Sussexes will be spending Valentine’s Day apart after Meghan returned alone to the couple’s £12million home in Montecito to see their children Prince Archie, five, and Princess Lilibet, three.
In an Instagram post on Wednesday evening, Meghan showed off a selection of gifts she had brought back from Canada for the children, including personalised mementos with their names on.
In a caption, she wrote: ‘A taste of Canada and The Invictus Games for our little ones! Cheering you [Harry] on from home!’
Meghan flew back to be with their children at their home in Montecito after spending five days in Vancouver and the ski resort of Whistle
The Prince applauds during the awards ceremony for the biathlon
Harry will stay in Canada to watch the rest of the tournament for injured service personnel and veterans, which will end with Sunday’s closing ceremony.
Plans were not given in advance for security reasons, and a source close to the couple said: ‘This was always planned. Meghan is going home to be with her children.
‘Meghan left the Games in Dusseldorf early after five days to go home. This is Prince Harry’s event and she is there to support him, but this was planned.’
It comes after Meghan was said to have told fans at a wheelchair basketball game in Vancouver on Sunday that she was missing her children.
Meanwhile Harry spoke to their favourite US based magazine ‘People’ to talk about Invictus and the impact it has on people’s lives.
He also touched how he talks about the limbless military veterans to his son Archie, five.
Harry was glowing in his praise for Meghan who took centre stage with her public displays of affection at the opening ceremony in front of 40,000 people in Vancouver.
She was seen planting a kiss on Harry and resting her head on his shoulder.
He said: ‘To have my wife here supporting me is amazing. I love that she’s by my side.
‘It’s such an important piece to this whole adventure.’
Harry told People he is already looking forward to the 2027 games being held in Birmingham.
‘It’s amazing how, after 10 years, we’re still doing this. We will continue the Games for as long as it’s needed – and the need is increasing rather than reducing.
With Meghan now back in California, Harry is said to be taking the day to enjoy the up-market resort at his own pace. Pictured: Harry and Megan walk hand in hand at the Hillcrest Recreation Centre at the Invictus Games on February 10
In an Instagram post on Wednesday evening, Meghan said she was cheering Harry on from home
Harry spoke to their favourite US based magazine ‘People’ to talk about Invictus and the impact it has on people’s lives. Pictured: Harry and Meghan on stage at the welcome celebration
‘So the fact that there will be a full cycle back to the U.K. is a place that I never thought we would be,’ he said.
The first Invictus Games were held in London in 2014.
‘I wish that we could close this down because there wasn’t a need for it, but as long as there’s a need for it, we will keep it going,’ he said.
‘I know the U.K. is looking forward to having the Games back to where it started.’
With Meghan now back in California, Harry is said to be taking the day to enjoy the up-market resort at his own pace.
He is an avid skier and will had a taste of what is on offer when he went tubing on Blackcomb Mountain with Meghan and Whistler Mountain where he presented medals in the adaptive alpine skiing event.
Aides are not releasing details of Harry’s plans for his final day in Whistler before returning to Vancouver for the climax of the games with finals and the closing ceremony.
Prince Harry appeared to enjoy tubing during a Family and Friends Tubing event
The Duke Sussex with competitors at the Alpine Skiing and Snowboarding Novice Finals
Harry was all smiles as he posed for pictures with athletes while attending the Biathlon event during day three of the Invictus Games on February 11.
In his autobiography he confessed that he always felt guilty for enjoying ski trips with his father, Prince Charles, because his mother, Princess Diana, didn’t like them.
He wrote in ‘Spare’ that he felt like a ‘bad son’ for having fun on these trips.
Harry is due to attend three events and brave freezing temperatures of up to -11 in Canada.
The Prince proved he does not need Meghan to pull a crowd of fans as he was mobbed when he arrived for an Invictus Games ceremony on Whistler mountain previously.
Fans jostled to get close to Harry and take a photo as he made his way up the slopes in bright sunshine.
His bodyguard Chris Sanchez, a former US Presidential Secret Service agent, struggled to help Harry through the crowds.
