Prince Harry and Meghan Markle returned to Britain with their children on Wednesday, more than six years after stepping back from royal life in a departure widely dubbed “Megxit.”
But the mode of travel quickly drew attention. Despite years of public comments urging greater environmental responsibility, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex reportedly flew to Britain aboard a private jet.
According to reports, the couple chartered the aircraft through Planet 9, an international private aviation company, at a cost of about $12,000 per flight hour. With the journey estimated to have lasted around 10 hours, the total cost would come to roughly $120,000.
The aircraft, a Bombardier Global Express XRS, can carry up to 13 passengers and includes two bathrooms, five sleeping berths capable of accommodating six people and storage for 12 to 15 medium-sized suitcases. Planet 9 says the jet was refurbished in 2023.
The trip comes against the backdrop of reports about financial pressure facing the couple following Harry’s legal defeat in a case against the publisher of the Daily Mail. The court reportedly ordered him to pay around £9.5 million within a week.
At the same time, the couple’s decision to fly private has revived scrutiny of their past environmental statements. In a 2019 interview with Vogue, Harry said he and Meghan planned to have no more than two children, citing concerns about the planet. He said that avoiding another child could reduce the couple’s carbon footprint by 58.5 tons.
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In another interview, Harry said: “We can all do better. None of us are perfect. We all have a responsibility to make an impact and look after our own environment. The question is what we do to change and balance things out.” The Sussexes’ latest journey is estimated to have generated around 40 tons of carbon emissions over the roughly 10-hour flight.
Their return to Britain is also fueling speculation over where they plan to stay. Their exact base has not yet been disclosed, but people familiar with the situation say the couple are looking for a home in the Cotswolds, near Highgrove, the private residence associated with King Charles and Queen Camilla.