Prince Harry has opened up about the private jet controversy

(Image credit: AFP/Getty Images)

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are one of the most talked-about couples in the world, recently moving into their newly renovated Frogmore Cottage home with their newborn baby, Archie Harrison.

But while most fans are happy for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, there are some who like to find fault with them, with the couple facing a constant onslaught of online abuse since making their relationship official.

The past month has been no exception, but rather than body shaming comments about Meghan Markle and rumours of royal feuds, it was the private jet controversy that made news.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were seen using private jets for two holidays in the past month, with the first being a family holiday to Ibiza and the second being a stay at Elton John’s South of France home.

With the news coming after the couple had made a big statement about sustainability, the public wasn’t happy, with many taking to social media to call the Duke and Duchess out as hypocrites.

This is something that Prince Harry finally addressed this week, opening up about the criticism during an event in Amsterdam on Tuesday.

‘We can all do better and while no one is perfect, we all have a responsibility for our own individual impact. The question is what we do to balance it out,’ he is reported, via People, to have said during the event.

Later, during the question and answer session, someone is reported to have referenced the private jet scandal and how he made his way to Amsterdam, to which Harry replied: ‘I came here by commercial.’

He continued: ‘I spend 99% of my life travelling the world by commercial. Occasionally there needs to be an opportunity based on a unique circumstance to ensure my family are safe and it's genuinely as simple as that.’

Speaking of his new partnership with Travalyst, Harry continued: ‘It is a first-of-its-kind coalition, a united front of businesses dedicated to making travel an engine for sustainability.’

Well, that’s that.

Jenny Proudfoot
Contributing Features Editor

Jenny Proudfoot is an award-winning journalist, specialising in lifestyle, culture, entertainment, international development and politics. After working at Marie Claire UK for seven years - rising from intern to Features Editor - she is now a freelance contributor to the News and Features section.

In 2021, Jenny was named as a winner on the PPA's '30 under 30' list, and was also listed as a rising star in journalism.