Prince Charles flew 16,000 miles in just 11 days before proudly posing with Greta Thunberg in Davos

Prince Charles was last night facing embarrassment after taking a series of private jet flights while lecturing world leaders about climate change.

On a trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos last week, the Prince met activist Greta Thunberg and pointedly used an electric Jaguar executive car to travel through the Alps to the Swiss ski resort.

But The Mail on Sunday can reveal that in the 11 days before his high-profile appearance, Charles took three flights on private jets and one on a helicopter. 

After his impassioned speech last Wednesday, during which he urged world leaders to take ‘bold and imaginative action’ to solve the environmental crisis, he took a fourth private jet from Switzerland to Israel.

Prince Charles meeting climate activist Greta Thunberg after he gave a speech to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The Prince pointedly used an electric Jaguar executive car to travel through the Alps to the Swiss ski resort

Taking into account an additional five so-called ’empty-leg’ flights required to collect the Prince, his private jet and helicopter travel totalled more than 16,000 miles in less than a fortnight at an estimated cost to the taxpayer of £280,000.

A spokesman for Clarence House said: ‘Global travel is an inescapable part of the Prince’s role as a senior member of the Royal Family representing the UK overseas.’ 

According to the Paramount Business Jet calculator, a tool that allows passengers to work out their carbon emissions, the air travel will have emitted more than 162 metric tons of carbon – 18 times an average Briton’s annual total.

Muna Suleiman, of Friends of the Earth, said: ‘Climate targets can’t be met without cutting pollution from aviation emissions, and private jets are a particularly wasteful, polluting way to travel.’ 

The string of flights began on January 11 when a Bombardier Global Express flew 944 miles from Austria to collect the Prince from his Birkhall residence in Scotland.

It whisked him 3,765 miles to Muscat, where he paid his respects following the death of Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said. 

Oman Air offers two direct flights from London to Muscat a day, but Palace aides said the trip was organised at less than 12 hours’ notice and at the request of the British Government.

Prince Charles offers his condolences to Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said (right) on the death of Sultan Qaboos, who ruled Oman for 50 years and died at the age of 79, in Muscat, Oman, on 12 January. 

Oman Air offers two direct flights from London to Muscat a day, but Palace aides said the trip was organised at less than 12 hours’ notice and at the request of the British Government. The trip whisked him 3,765 miles to Muscat

Prince Charles speaks with Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of World Economic Forum, before his special address at the 50th World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, on January 22

Last Wednesday, the Prince flew 750 miles by private jet from Scotland to Switzerland for the Davos summit. While there are no direct flights from that part of Scotland to Zurich, BA, easyJet and Swiss Air all have daily flights from London.

Later that day the Prince travelled 1,740 miles to Israel. Palace officials said a private jet was chosen for security reasons.