HAVE EARD
EltonJohn
quicklyjumped
toHarryand
Meghan’sde-
fenceamidthe
backlash.The
musiclegend
revealedhepaid
fortheroyalstofl
tohisFrenchman
andmadea “carbo
neutral”donation
theirbehalf.
Gettingoffapri
inNice,Francefly
sion
on
onff a private jet
AUG
14The backlash
I
T SEEMS the Sussexes just can’t catch
a break – even when they’re on a break.
The latest controversy surrounding
the beleaguered royals? Their splashy
holidays in Ibiza and the south of France.
Earlier this month the duke and duchess
enjoyed a secret trip to the Spanish
party paradise on a private jet
to celebrate MEGHAN’s
birthday.
The duchess, who
turned 38 on 4 August,
is believed to have
flown to the island
with HARRY (34)
for what was
three-month-old
son ARCHIE’s
first holiday. The
royals reported-
ly stayed at the
Vista Alegre
retreat where
super-villas cost
up to €130 000
(R2,2 million) a week.
Security personnelaccompanied them on the six-day trip.
Just two days later the trio were off again,
this time spotted disembarking in Nice,
France. The trip on the 12-seater Cessna
aircraft was their third private flight in just
eight days. This despite the couple’s
frequent public pronouncements of being
terribly eco-minded and concerned about
decreasing their carbon footprint.
Each round trip costs the British taxpayer
£20 000 (R370 000) and emits six times
more carbon dioxide than a commercial
flight, according to reports.
Critics were quick to blast the self-pro-
claimed eco-warriors’ actions as hypocriti-
cal, branding them “fauxmanitarians”.
Just last month British Vogue – guest-edit-
ed by the duchess – published an interview in
which Harry declared he and Meghan would
have only two children because of their
environmental concerns.
“The Duke of Sussex speaks wonderful
and stirring words on the environment and
then he flies off on holiday to a European
destination in a private jet,” said Aaron Kiely,
spokesperson for environmental group
Friends of the Earth.
“He could’ve taken a train and then a boat.
This would’ve been the perfect opportunity
to set an environmental example.”98 | 29 AUGUST 2019 you.co.za^