EXCLUSIVE: Eco-warrior Prince Harry is accused of hypocrisy as he touches down in Santa Barbara on friend's £45m private jet after flying 750miles from polo match
Prince Harry has landed in Santa Barbara after taking his millionaire friend's private jet home just months after lecturing about climate change.
The campaigning royal, 36, boarded the 20-seater £45million plane from a polo match in Aspen, Colorado, to his home in Santa Barbara, California, on Thursday.
He took the two-hour flight, which could have emitted as much as ten tones of CO2, shortly after he was pictured on horseback at the polo.
Prince Harry has landed in Santa Barbara after taking his millionaire friend's private jet home just months after lecturing about climate change
The campaigning royal, 36, boarded the 20-seater £45million plane from Aspen, Colorado, to his home in Santa Barbara, California, on Thursday
Harry made a surprise appearance alongside his close friend Nacho Figueras by hosting a charity polo tournament in Colorado for his Sentebale charity yesterday
He took the two-hour flight, which could have emitted as much as ten tonnes of CO2, shortly after he was pictured on horseback at the polo
The Gulfstream jet is understood to belong to one of Harry's polo friends, Marc Ganzi, according to The Sun.
After touching down in Santa Babara, Harry was rushed into the car and headed back to his mansion in Montecito with Meghan and their two children.
It comes just three months after Harry said climate change was one of 'the most pressing issues we are facing', and just as his father Prince Charles made his most powerful intervention on the issue yet, as he told Britain's business leaders they must help, or the planet is 'done for'.
Speaking to Oprah Winfrey on Apple TV, Harry said: 'With kids growing up in today's world, pretty depressing, right, depending on where you live, your home country is either on fire, it's either underwater, houses or forests are being flattened.'
Harry previously attracted criticism for taking four private jet flights in 11 days, including to a climate change summit in Sicily.
The Gulfstream jet is understood to belong to one of Harry's polo friends, the American businessman Marc Ganzi
Harry's jet jaunt comes just three months after Harry said climate change was one of 'the most pressing issues we are facing'
After touching down in Santa Babara, Harry was rushed into the car and headed back to his mansion in Montecito with Meghan and their two children
Royal author Tom Quinn said after his latest private jet trip: 'This appears to be enormously hypocritical, given all his talk about climate change.
'Harry seems to see himself as someone who guides the rest of the world and that his own behaviour isn't relevant. It is a huge blind spot.'
MailOnline has contacted Harry's representatives for comment.
The controversy emerged as Prince Charles issued his robust challenge to big business to join his crusade for action 'before it's finally too late'.
The heir to the throne says that humanity's 'only hope' is for business chiefs to join world leaders in an 'epic battle' to avert 'climate catastrophe'.
Writing exclusively for the Daily Mail, the Prince of Wales said: 'We now have no alternative – we have to do all we possibly can in the short time left to us to avoid the enormous climate catastrophe that has already begun to show its face in the most terrifying ways.'
Earlier, Harry, who shares his passion for polo with Prince William and Prince Charles, looked in his element as he galloped up and down the pitch at the ISPS Handa Polo Cup tournament in Aspen alongside close friend Nacho Figueras, the Argentine star dubbed the 'David Beckham of polo'.
The match was held to benefit his Sentebale charity, which he co-founded and which helps vulnerable young people in Lesotho and southern Africa.
Polo is popular with the royals and with the super-rich, with both Prince William and Harry playing polo matches in the past, often with the Duchesses of Cambridge and Sussex watching from the sidelines.
The polo match was held to benefit his Sentebale charity, which he co-founded and which helps vulnerable young people in Lesotho and southern Africa
Harry appeared in Aspen one day after it was revealed he planned to restart more in-person charity work through the Archewell Foundation
Harry appeared in Aspen one day after it was revealed he planned to restart more in-person charity work through the Archewell Foundation.
The duke scored two goals as the Sentebale team ran out 3-0 winners in a round-robin format with two other sides – and the charity said it had raised nearly £2.6million ($3.5million) which is a new record for the tournament.
The tournament was smaller than in previous years due to Covid-19 restrictions - but Harry pledged to donate £1.1million ($1.5million) to it from the proceeds of his upcoming memoir.
The outdoor sports match was held to raise funds for the charity's work supporting vulnerable children in southern Africa who are impacted by extreme poverty, inequality and the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
His public appearance - the first since his daughter Lilibet Diana's birth on 4th June - was announced by the Sussexes' close friend and media partner Omid Scobie, who tweeted yesterday: 'Prince Harry is back on the field.'
The Duke was joined by Sentebale Ambassador and Argentine polo player, Nacho Figueras, as he played on the Sentebale Team against the Royal Salute and US Polo Association Teams.
Harry had also made a brief appearance a fortnight ago, juggling in the background of a video released by Meghan on 4th August to celebrate her 40th birthday alongside actress Melissa McCarthy.
Despite calls for privacy, Mr Scobie had said on Wednesday that the Sussexes will enter a new 'era of visibility' this autumn, with a more 'intentionally public' life, adding: 'They're a couple who do very well in those moments of human interaction.'
The couple are said to be gearing up for a busy few months and are 'really excited'. Mr Scobie added: 'They need to be on the ground... they say that the proof is in the pudding, and what we are about to see is that pudding.'
Sentebale said the tournament 'serves as the single largest fundraising moment for the organisation to advance its mission on behalf of young people in need in Lesotho and Botswana'.
Harry, who is the co-founding patron of the charity, said: 'Our refocused mission at Sentebale is about addressing the most-immediate needs of vulnerable children in Southern Africa, helping them access vital health services, receive necessary care, and build skills to be more resilient and self-sufficient in the future'.
'We are incredibly grateful to our gracious hosts in Aspen, to ISPS Handa and the many other sponsors, and to everyone involved in making this year's match not only possible—but most importantly, as safe as possible for the protection of donors, players, staff, and the entire community.
'The Sentebale Polo Cup is critical to securing the funds needed to advance this important mission, and I'm thrilled to be able to support Sentebale, both in person and financially through a separate charitable donation to meet this immediate need.
'This is one of several donations I plan to make to charitable organisations and I'm grateful to be able to give back in this way for the children and communities who gravely need it.'
Prince Harry made a surprise appearance alongside his close friend Nacho Figueras by hosting a charity polo tournament in Colorado for his Sentebale charity yesterday
Harry appeared in high spirits as he mounted a horse for the tournament at the Aspen Valley Polo Club yesterday
Harry was seen embracing his longtime friend Argentinian polo star Nacho Figueras yesterday
Nacho Figueras posted a photo of him and Harry on social media yesterday (above). Nacho has been called the 'David Beckham' of polo
Harry was all smiles as he took to the field decked out in all his polo gear yesterday - and gone is his woke California facade
Harry and Meghan are pictured during their AppleTV appearance last month
A spokesman for Sentebale said: 'Like many charities, we understand how much the pandemic has impacted communities everywhere.
'This match has always been the single largest fundraising opportunity for Sentebale, and because last year's Polo Cup was postponed and this year's was significantly and rightfully reduced in size and scope, the organisation is in need of further support to continue its mission.
'To help meet this need, The Duke is donating his time as well as honouring his personal commitment to donate a portion of his proceeds from his upcoming memoir by generously committing $1.5million to Sentebale.
'We are enormously grateful for The Duke's personal contribution, which will allow us to continue operating at full scale and continue providing critical services to at-risk youth in Southern Africa.'
Last year's Polo Cup was postponed due to the pandemic, but a reduced version is taking place this year with 'significantly fewer guests than in previous years' and the full programme being held outside.
Organisers added that there are 'rigorous guidelines around vaccine requirements, testing, and the wearing of masks' – although they did not expand on the nature of these vaccine requirements.
