- Harry and Markle took a 40-minute flight from California to Las Vegas and back
- Prince William last week took a commercial British Airways flight to Singapore
Prince Harry’s eco-travel organisation is coming under increasing pressure to sack its royal founder after he flew to a Katy Perry concert on a private jet owned by a Texan oil heir.
The board of Travalyst, which the Duke of Sussex set up in 2019 when he was still a working royal, has maintained a wall of silence since news broke of his latest environmentally damaging jaunt.
Last weekend, he and wife Meghan Markle took a 40-minute flight from an airstrip near their £14.5 million Californian home to Las Vegas and back on a Gulfstream jet to watch Ms Perry’s gig.
The journey, which they shared with Hollywood star Cameron Diaz, came less than a month after they took a private Dassault Falcon 7X plane from New Jersey to the Caribbean paradise island of Canouan – described as ‘a place where billionaires go to escape millionaires’– for a romantic break.
In contrast, Prince William last week took a commercial British Airways flight to Singapore for his environmental Earthshot Prize ceremony.
Last weekend, he and wife Meghan Markle took a 40-minute flight from an airstrip near their £14.5 million Californian home to Las Vegas and back on a Gulfstream jet to watch Ms Perry’s gig
The board of Travalyst, which the Duke of Sussex set up in 2019 when he was still a working royal, has maintained a wall of silence since his latest environmentally damaging jaunt
Critics have called on the non-profit Travalyst organisation to sever ties with their patron and founder over his ‘hypocrisy’.
One source who works in the eco-tourism business in Los Angeles said: ‘It is a case of ‘do as I say, not as I do’.
‘Harry uses private jets like taxis while telling the rest of us to travel more sustainably.’
Royal biographer Angela Levin added: ‘He set up Travalyst which was all about not using private planes. He’s still their patron. I think he should get the sack.
‘This sort of behaviour is exactly why we call them eco-hypocrites.’
On social media, TV presenter Kevin O’Sullivan said sarcastically: ‘Saving the planet, one Katy Perry concert at a time.’
The Mail on Sunday contacted Travalyst CEO Sally Davey and the company’s PR representative multiple times.
All five board members declined to comment on the record.
Earlier this year it was suggested that Travalyst might be seeking to distance itself from the jet-setting Prince when he was barely mentioned in a press release announcing the appointment of a new board.
But Davey denied those claims, telling People magazine: ‘Prince Harry is the founder of Travalyst and remains an invaluable part of this organisation.
‘His role has not changed in any way and he is regularly involved in strategic discussions and decisions alongside our partners and board.’
Travalyst’s website highlights the importance of sustainable travel to protect the planet and boasts of its partnerships with corporations including Expedia, TripAdvisor, Google and Visa credit cards.
The journey, which they shared with Hollywood star Cameron Diaz , came less than a month after they took a private Dassault Falcon 7X plane from New Jersey to Canouan (stock image)
Under a section entitled ‘what you can do now’, the website says: ‘Aim to cut back your carbon footprint when you travel by tracking how much you fly and picking the lowest impact options where possible. Consider alternatives to flying such as trains, coaches and ferries.’
Harry has previously claimed he takes commercial flights ’99 per cent of my life’ and said he used private jets to ‘ensure my family are safe’.
Since 2018, the Sussexes are believed to have flown on private jets at least 17 times.
The 2009 Gulfstream Harry used to fly to Las Vegas – owned by oil heir Michael Herd – emitted about 1.7 tons of CO2 in its 80-minute round trip – as much as the average Brit produces in four months.
The flight to Canouan produced about 9.6 tons.
Harry’s representatives were approached for comment.
