Duke and Duchess of Sussex take SECOND private plane in two days

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle take SECOND private plane in two days as they ‘jet off to the South of France’ just 48 hours after Ibiza holiday – despite their long-running support for environmental causes

  • Duke and Duchess of Sussex used the private jet for trip to Nice on Wednesday
  • Would have made seven times more emissions per person than commercial jet
  • Journey on the 12-seat Cessna Citation Sovereign attracted criticism to Royals
  • The couple have regularly commented on the need to protect the environment
  • Came after they returned from Ibiza holiday on Monday on similar private plane 

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have flown on a second private jet in two days despite previously campaigning to protect the environment.

The Royals used the £15million plane ‘on a trip to Nice in the South of France’ just 48 hours after they used one for a secret six-day trip to Ibiza.

Harry and Meghan took a 12-seat Cessna Citation Sovereign to the French Riviera and arrived on August 14, in a trip that would have created seven times more emissions per person than a commercial flight.

 The eco-campaigning royal couple were criticised for their choice of private jet due to their regular comments about the need to protect the environment

Their choice of private jet – which would have cost more than £20,000 to hire – has attracted criticism given their regular comments about the need to protect the environment.

The 38-year-old Duchess was spotted holding Archie and wearing a white hat with a black ribbon and white blouse, while Prince Harry opted for a navy baseball cap, sunglasses and a green polo.

The couple were seen getting off the plane – owned by NetJets Aviation – in Nice and greeted by their security detail and airport staff, the Sun reports.

Their flight was estimated to have had a carbon footprint of three tonnes, when the average for the country is just 13 tonnes a year.

Harry and Meghan took a 12-seat Cessna Citation Sovereign (similar pictured in this file photo) to the French Riviera and arrived on August 14, in a trip that would have created seven times more emissions per person than a commercial flight and cost more than £20,000 to hire

The trip marked the second holiday for Harry, 34, and Meghan this month, after they used the same aircraft company – dubbed ‘Uber for billionaires’ – on a visit to Ibiza.

They flew to Ibiza on August 6 where they stayed in a luxury private villa before returning to the UK on Monday.

The flight had a carbon footprint of more than four tonnes. 

Flight logs uncovered by MailOnline revealed how the Duke, Duchess and Archie secretly travelled to and from the Spanish island for their getaway.

The incident heaped more criticism on Harry after he used a private plane to get to Sicily for a Google climate meeting, despite preaching about global warming.

In their latest trip, the Royals drove from their home in Windsor to Farnborough Airport in Hampshire before catching the flight.

In their latest trip, the Royals drove from their home in Windsor to Farnborough Airport in Hampshire before catching the flight to Nice

The Prince kept his head down as he got off the plane. The couple were also joined by an unnamed female aide who wore black and had her hair braided.

They all crossed the airport tarmac and got into a blacked-out Mercedes transporter, which was parked near a police van, and taken to a private villa near the Mediterranean.

It is not clear where the Royals are now as the private aircraft landed back in Farnborough at around 4.15pm on Friday.

More than 20 planes leave London airports for Nice most Wednesdays, with an easyJet return ticket costing around £230 per person.

Teresa Pearce, Labour MP for Erith and Thamesmead, said the Duke and Duchess should ‘lead by example’.

She said: ‘Given the position they have taken publicly about being responsible on climate change, this does seem an anomaly which they should look at.’ 

She added: ‘I find this quite surprising because it doesn’t fit with their public image and the way they’re so concerned about the planet and the environment.’

And Ken Wharfe, a former royal protection officer, said: ‘Frankly it’s hypocritical. Harry can’t be preaching about the catastrophic effects of climate change while jetting around the world on a private plane.’

The Royal family have not commented on the latest trip. 

On August 6, the first day of their holiday to Ibiza, the only private plane travelling to Ibiza from the VIP Farnborough Airport was a Gulfstream 200, which can hold up to 19 people, which left at 7.49am BST and touched down on the Balearic island at 10.49am local time.

Six days later, on Monday this week, a nine-seater Cessna 500 XL, owned by NetJets, left Ibiza at 10.14am local time and landed at Farnborough at 11.20am BST and is understood to have been carrying the royals.

At least one leg of the journey is understood to have been booked through NetJets, which has earned the nicknames ‘Hertz For Heirs’ or ‘Uber for billionaires’ because it serves the wealthy.

 The plane used by the couple to get to Ibiza was believed to be a Cessna Citation XL, similar to the one pictured in this file photo 

The 860-mile private jet journey from Farnborough to Ibiza would have emitted six times more carbon than a commercial flight

It is not known who paid for the flights, which would have cost around £20,000 return.

But NetJets are linked to Harry’s close friend Nacho Figueras, an Argentine sportsman known as the ‘David Beckham of polo’.

It is also possible they may have borrowed a private jet from a friend whose plane is managed by a hire company.

NetJets has 750 planes for hire worldwide and boasts of offering an ‘unmatched experience’ to rich clients.

Perks include custom dining menus and the option to take pets in the cabin – with the company having previously transported dogs, cats and even a pig.  

Once on the Spanish island, the couple stayed in a luxury villa guarded by British and Spanish state security personnel.

There was also anger at the lack of transparency surrounding the trip, with royal representatives refusing to disclose how much it cost taxpayers.

Meghan has fond memories of the island having visited with friends before meeting the Prince

In September’s edition of Vogue, guest edited by Meghan, Harry said the couple would only have two children for the sake of the environment

It is believed the royal couple and Archie stayed in a secluded villa away from prying eyes, and travelled with security personnel for the ‘six-day trip’.

A source on the island told MailOnline the Royals landed in Ibiza on Tuesday last week with several taxpayer-funded Met Police bodyguards.

They added that five close protection officers from the Spanish security forces joined the group escorting them to their private villa.

An aerial view of Ibiza. It is understood Harry and Meghan were there from August 6 to Monday and that the Sovereign Grant – which comes from public money will have paid. But the palace has refused to say what happened or confirm any details

The couple’s decision to use a private jet for their Ibiza trip means the journey would have emitted six times more carbon dioxide per person than a scheduled flight from London to the Spanish island. 

The flights there and back would have given out 12.5 tons of carbon dioxide.

There are around 14 scheduled flights from London and the South-East of England to Ibiza each day.

Their choice of transport flied in the face of their frequent public pronouncements on green issues.

Other Royals have used cheap airlines for their flights alongside the public.

Prince Harry boarded a Wizz Air flight from Luton to Transylvania in 2012 and in 2015 Prince William, 37, used a Ryanair plane to get to Scotland.

In 2011 he was also joined by wife Kate, also 37, on a Flybe flight to Zara and Mike Tindall’s wedding.

Prince Harry boarded a Wizz Air flight (stock pictured) from Luton to Transylvania in 2012 and in 2010 Prince William, 37, used a Ryanair plane to get to Scotland

In 2015, Prince William, 37, used a Ryanair plane (stock pictured) to get to Scotland. In 2011 he was also joined by wife Kate, also 37, on a Flybe flight to Zara and Mike Tindall’s wedding

Last month British Vogue magazine – guest-edited by the Duchess – published an interview by Harry with leading conservationist Dr Jane Goodall.

In it the prince suggested he and Meghan may only have two children because of their environmental concerns.

In contrast to the duke and duchess, climate change activist Greta Thunberg boarded a boat from England to New York because she refuses to travel by plane. 

The 16-year-old was one of the 15 ‘forces for change’ Meghan chose to put on the cover of Vogue.

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