Meghan Markle and Prince Harry took two trips on a private jet within a week and while other celebrities and notable figures defended their rights to do so, there are still those who think the royals are hypocrites. Given who they are and what they have been advocating for quite some time now, maybe saying sorry or acknowledging the issue publicly at least, is the right way to go.
According to Teitel of the Star, Prince Harry, and Meghan Markle, regardless of the good they are doing for the world, are hypocrites. This is because they cannot walk the talk. Many people acknowledge that climate change is a pressing issue facing the planet and yet they do nothing about it or will not stop doing things that can aid the devastation along.
However, these people are not royals, and they have not been presenting themselves as serious environmental activists repeatedly like Markle and Harry have been doing. Moreover, once caught doing something not environmentally-friendly, they opt to stay silent and let their friends defend them!
For months now, the two have been flaunting their activism and advocating for concrete changes to combat the many environmental issues faced by the world now. Prince Harry and Markle followed Greta Thunberg on Instagram, a young but already notable change activist traversing the Atlantic Ocean using a solar-powered yacht.
This is also the reason why she formed part of the iconic cover of British Vogue’s special edition, guest-edited by Markle herself. Following this, the Duke of Sussex also told Dr. Jane Goodall that he only wants a small family - maximum of two children, presumably because planet Earth is already overcrowded.
However, in a blink of an eye, all these environmental good deeds are offset because they went on a personal trip using a private jet, not just once, but twice! Flying in airplanes is bad for the planet, as it adds to the carbon footprint. While flying cannot be avoided, the best solution is to fly with as many people as possible. However, the royals set off on a private jet, not for anything, but to just visit their friend Elton John. Based on estimates, their flight probably generated 7x more carbon emissions per person compared to a regular commercial flight.
Following the natural backlash this caused, Elton John defended his friends, saying the private flight was necessary to keep the royals safe. Also, the flight was not against Harry and Markle’s commitment to the environment, because the flight was made carbon neutral by him contributing to Carbon Footprint.
Ellen Degeneres also took to Twitter to defend the two, saying they are being attacked incessantly when all they have been doing is “make the world better.”
Still, carbon offsetting does not justify Markle and Harry’s actions. Some activists have long maintained that carbon offsetting is often just used as a justification for further pollution, and denounced it. The Insider computed the amount of donation of John had to make to offset the carbon footprint and arrived at a measly $135.
It is not surprising why an apology from the royals just might be more appropriate than staying silent while their friends step in to defend them.
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