Meghan Markle’s gas-guzzling private jet journey back to California included mystery stopover
Meghan Markle’s private jet journey from Vancouver to California could have cost up to £24,000 and produced 6.6 tonnes of CO2 emissions.
The Duchess of Sussex, 43, made the three-hour flight without Prince Harry, burning approximately 800 gallons of fuel.
The journey included a mystery stopover in Seattle as she returned from the Invictus Games winter event in Canada.
Harry and Meghan are believed to have used the same £7million aircraft for their outbound journey last week.
The CO2 emissions from the flight weigh the equivalent of a large elephant, despite the couple having previously been recognised as environmental role models.
The Bombardier CL-600 luxury jet departed Vancouver at 2.06pm local time on February 11, landing in Seattle at 2.40pm.
After a 30-minute stopover, the aircraft took off again at 3.14pm before touching down at Santa Barbara Airport at 5.01pm.
The private jet can accommodate up to ten passengers and boasts a range exceeding 5,000 miles.
Passengers enjoy the services of a private crew serving hot meals and drinks throughout the journey.
The average hourly cost for hiring such an aircraft ranges between £5,500 to £8,000, potentially bringing the total journey cost to between £16,500 and £24,000.
Meghan flew back to be with children Archie and Lilibet in Montecito after spending five days in Vancouver and Whistler with Harry.
The couple were marking the seventh edition of the Invictus Games, with this being the first winter games in the event’s history.
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Palace aides confirmed the early return journey was pre-planned, with the Duchess having only intended to stay for five days.
This mirrors her attendance pattern from the 2023 Invictus Games in Germany, where she also stayed for five days.
Despite the significant carbon footprint of the journey, the Duke and Duchess have previously received recognition for their environmental efforts, having been named green “role models” in 2021.