Harry and Meghan to split time between UK and North America will mean huge carbon footprint

Eco-warriors Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s carbon footprint could soar to TRIPLE the average if they split their time between UK and North America

  • Return First Class flight from London to Toronto creates 6.77 tonnes of CO2 
  • Three times a year would mean 20.31 tonnes for Meghan, Harry and Archie  
  • Average Briton produces 8.34 tonnes of carbon every year, figures reveal  
  • Sussexes were slammed for taking four private jets in 11 days over summer 2019  

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s decision to retire will mean a huge increase in their carbon footprint. 

Harry and Meghan’s bombshell statement yesterday that they are ‘stepping down as senior royals’ revealed they plan to split their time between the UK and North America. 

The couple appear to want to set down roots in Canada after their six-week Christmas break proved a roaring success. 

If Harry, Meghan and Archie took three first class trips a year between London and Toronto, they would clock up an annual carbon footprint of 20.31 tonnes each a year – nearly triple the 8.34 tonnes of the average British person.

And if they based themselves in faraway Vancouver and took three return flights annually, online calculators show their footprint would rise to an even more damaging 27.3 tonnes per head – more than three times the annual average.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s decision to retire will mean a huge increase in their carbon footprint. They are pictured disembarking from their plane on their arrival in Suva, on day one of the royal couple’s visit to Fiji

Meghan cradles her son Archie as they get off a private jet at Nice Airport in France in August last year

Meghan cradles her son Archie as they get off a private jet at Nice Airport in France in August last year

It’s even worse news if they want to save the planet.

Scientists recommend everyone should only be responsible for producing 1.97 tonnes of carbon per year if we want to reverse climate change by 2050. 

The royal couple faced widespread criticism after using four private jets in the space of just 11 days. 

The journeys came soon after Harry told Meghan’s edition of British Vogue that they only want to have two children as a way of reducing their carbon footprint. 

When he appeared at an event in Amsterdam soon after the private jet debacle, he refused to apologise for his private flights to Italy, France and Spain, saying: ‘I spend 99 per cent of my life travelling the world by commercial.’

He claimed his decision to use non-commercial planes was to ‘keep his family safe’. 

The Duke also insisted he ‘offsets 99 per cent’ of his carbon footprint.    

Accounts reveal that the royal family’s carbon footprint from official travel nearly doubled in 2018, to 3,344 tonnes of CO2. 

In the aftermath of Meghan and Harry’s private jet furore, the Queen advertised for a new director of royal travel to ensure ‘efficient’ and ‘effective’ flights. 

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their three children unwittingly added fuel to the fire when they took a FlyBe commercial plane soon after Harry and Meghan’s jet-setting around Europe.  

Harry and Meghan faced criticism after it was claimed they flew privately four times in 11 days during the summer - as depicted in this map

Harry and Meghan faced criticism after it was claimed they flew privately four times in 11 days during the summer – as depicted in this map

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk