Elton John tries and fails to defend Prince Harry on climate change


Elton John tries and fails to defend Prince Harry on climate change

Taking to Instagram on Monday, Elton John complained about “distorted and malicious” media reporting on Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle.

As the BBC notes, Elton John is angry over British press reports that the royals “took four private jet journeys in 11 days, including to Sir Elton’s home in Nice.” Elton John is annoyed that the press have pointed out how this gas-guzzling, carbon-splurging travel is incongruant with Harry and Markle’s calls for global carbon emissions reductions. The BBC also observes that the British royal family have now achieved a 98% year-on-year increase in carbon emissions.

Don’t get me wrong. For much needed reasons of expanding the royal family’s genetic pool, I’m a fan of Meghan Markle. But Harry, once a cool guy, seems to be embracing a boring liberal fundamentalism. He says, for example, that he’ll only have two children. This, Harry hopes, will offset huge global population growth and China’s incessant burping of new carbon into the atmosphere.

Good luck with that.

But let’s get back to Elton John. Because in his defense of the royal couple, Elton John also claimed that the royals’ use of private jets was necessary “to maintain a high level of much-needed protection…”.

Not true, Rocketman.

Queen Elizabeth II regularly travels by public train, and while in office, former Prime Minister David Cameron occasionally traveled by commercial flight (sometimes in economy). The protection of the royal family is handled by the Metropolitan Police’s Royalty and Specialist Protection Command. While I’m sure Harry and Markle’s protective detail prefer to travel via private jet, it is highly unlikely they requested use of Elton John’s jet for security reasons.

Elton John, a reliable opponent of free speech, might demand that the media “cease” its reporting. I say ignore him.




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