Environmentally conscious mega-celebrities rarely put their money where their mouth is. For example, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have claimed they have a “long-standing commitment to the planet” and both have pledged to take ” choices to offer and balance” their carbon footprint. Naturally, to make their speeches they fly by private jet, the most environmentally damaging way it’s possible to travel.
Even the otherwise PR-impregnable Taylor Swift, who rarely puts a foot wrong, has faced repeated and pointed criticism for her heavy use of a private jet, making hundreds of flights a year, including an eye-popping 20,000 miles in a single weekend to see Travis Kelce play in the Super Bowl (yes, it was an iconic photo, but how many drowned polar bears was it worth?.
You might argue these mega-celebs need the flexibility and security of a private jet, but given the dire state of the environment and the ridiculous opulence of first class on international airlines, it’s a very hard sell to the public. Often the likes of Swift and the Sussexes will claim they’re neutralizing their carbon output by planting trees or whatever, but these schemes have been met with intense skepticism.
All of which is why we’re pleasantly surprised that Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, future Queen, and one of the most famous people in the world not only doesn’t fly private, but flies economy! This was confirmed back in 2022 on TikTok, when a user spotted Kate and her children Louis and Charlotte disembarking from the flight early along with their security detail, en route to Balmoral:
Now, in her first major trip since her cancer diagnosis, Kate is preparing making the trip to Balmoral once again. And, at least if the Mail Online’s sources are to be believed, she’s once again flying economy. Considering the nightmarish 2024 Kate has had I don’t think anyone would blame her for jumping in a private jet or helicopter to get up to Balmoral, so it’s all the more praiseworthy that she’s settling down into a fairly uncomfy seat with little leg room and a table that’s never quite big enough.
So, if there’s another big environmental event coming up where the fabulously wealthy can profess to being eco-warriors at heart (while pouring tens of thousands of tonnes of carbon dioxide into our dying atmosphere), don’t accept any other speaker on the subject but Kate Middleton. After all, she’s putting her money – and her butt – where her mouth is.