The father of Britain’s largest family has slammed Prince Harry for saying he only wants to have two children in a bid to protect the environment.
The Duke of Sussex claims he and Meghan want to limit the size of their family to help reduce their carbon footprint.
But The Radfords, of Morecambe, Lancashire, say their 21 children are a joy and suggested Harry’s green intentions do not tally up with his royal lifestyle.
Noel Radford, 48, told Good Morning Britain: ‘Fair enough if he only wants the two.
‘But if he’s using the excuse of saving the planet, he’s flying on a private jet and got his whole entourage with him.’
The Radfords, of Morecambe, Lancashire, (pictured on Good Morning Britain today) say their 21 children are a joy and suggested Prince Harry’s claims he will only have two children to help save the planet do not tally up with his royal lifestyle
Noel and Sue Radford are pictured with one of the youngest of their 21 children
Prince Harry is pictured for his interview with Dr Jane Goodall for British Vogue’s September edition, guest edited by his wife Meghan. He told Dr Goodall he only wanted ‘maximum two children’ to help protect the environment
The Sussexes are known for their glamorous trips. In February, Meghan travelled by private jet for a five-night trip to New York, where she was thrown a lavish baby shower by her closest friends in a $75,000-a-night penthouse.
One return flight from London to New York generates more CO2 than citizens of some countries produce in a year, according to German nonprofit Atmosfair.
By not having a child, the carbon footprint of someone living in a developed country would be reduced on average by an extra 58.6 tonnes of carbon dioxide every year, based on emission rates in 2017.
British charity Population Matters, of which Sir David Attenborough is the patron, is one of the leading campaigners on population control and has urged parents to ‘Stop at Two’.
Asked why they opted for such a big family, Sue Radford, 44, told presenters: ‘We just love the chaos of it all, the laughter, the playing.’
Sue, 44, and Noel Radford, 48, from Lancashire, are in for an expensive summer with their 21 children. Pictured, Sophie, 25, Chloe, 23, Jack, 22, Daniel, 20, Luke, 18, Millie, 17, Katie, 16, James, 15, Ellie, 14, Aimee, 13, Josh, 12, Max, 11, Tillie, 9, Oscar, 7, Casper, 6, Hallie, 4, Phoebe, 3, Archie, 18 months, Bonnie, eight months
Prince Harry and wife Meghan are pictured with their son Archie at two-days-old
The Radfords got back from a holiday in Holland last week, which meant packing seven suitcases and going through customs 21 times.
Mrs Radford said: ‘We do go on planes, but it’s a logistical nightmare.
‘When you go through customs with passports and then you’re sat on the plane counting 21 heads.’
During the school holidays the family have to fork out at least £150 every time they want to go out to dinner.
They only claim child benefit and have to rely on father Noel’s bakery business to make ends meet, even with a minimum spend of £350 for a weekly food shop.
Mrs Radford says washing duties are non-stop’ with 18kg of clothes being washed every day of the week and the family go through 16 pints of milk and three loaves of bread a day.
The couple first shot to fame in 2008, when it emerged the baker and his wife were set to have a ‘baker’s dozen’ of children, 13.
Since then, Mrs Radford has given birth to eight more – ranging from eldest Chris, 30, to youngest Bonnie, 18 months.
Back row 1. Luke; 2. Chloe; 3. Millie; 4. Katie; 5. Chris; 6. Sophie; 7.Hallie (in her big sister Millie’s arms). Middle row, left to right: 8. Daniel; 9. Ellie; 10. Phoebe (in Dad Noel’s arms); 11. Archie (cuddled by Mum Sue); 12. Josh; 13. Jack. Front row, left to right: 14. Aimee; 15. Tillie; 16. Max; 17. Casper; 19. James; and still very much part of the family in spirit is Alfie, who was stillborn