Prince Harry Flies Commercial to Canada After Private Plane Backlash

Prince Harry traveled to Canada on Monday to join wife Meghan Markle and their 8-month-old son, Archie, making the trip on a commercial flight. TMZ reports that Harry was on board a British Airways flight for his trip, followed by a commuter jet to Vancouver Island.

Harry and Markle were previously criticized for their use of private jets last summer shortly after Harry spoke on climate change at Google Camp. In the September issue of British Vogue, Harry also noted that he and Markle would have no more than two children for environmental reasons.

After the couple received backlash, Harry attended an event in Amsterdam, announcing a new project called Travalyst, and explained that the family traveled privately due to safety concerns. According to the Daily Mail‘s Rebecca English, Harry said that he will continue to travel by private jet “to ensure the safety of my family.”

“I’ve learned that we cannot dismiss the idea of trying to do something, just because we can’t do everything. We can all do better,” Harry added. “And while no one is perfect, we are all responsible for our own individual impact. The question is what we do to balance it out.”

English added that the Duke of Sussex said he spends “99 percent of my life travelling the world by commercial” and offsets carbon emissions when he does fly privately.

Harry arrived in Canada on Monday night after a royal appearance that day at a summit in London for leaders of 21 African countries hosted by Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The appearance was likely one of his last, as he and Markle will no longer be working members of the royal family beginning this spring.

It was announced on Jan. 18 that Harry and Markle will renounce their royal titles and forgo public funding, which includes paying taxpayers back for the recent renovations done to the couple’s Frogmore Cottage home. That means the couple will be stripped of their titles of His and Her Royal Highness, though they will remain the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. In addition, Harry will no longer retain his military appointments and the couple will no longer receive public funding, which they were previously given via the Sovereign Grant.

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