Prince Harry has responded to criticism of his use of private jets at the launch of an eco-friendly tourism initiative, saying there are occasions he needs to keep his family safe.
The Duke of Sussex flew commercially to the event in Amsterdam following a summer of headlines criticising him and his wife Meghan for flying privately.
"I spend 99% of my life travelling the world by commercial. Occasionally there needs to be an opportunity based on a unique circumstance to ensure that my family are safe," he said, after being asked about his travel.
Harry answered the question after making a speech at the launch of the partnership, which is backed by some of the biggest names in the industry.
He admitted that "no one is perfect" and said "we can all do better" when it comes to tackling environmental issues.
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"It is about balance, and if I have to do that [fly via private jet]… then I will ensure, as I have done previously and I will continue to make sure that I do, to balance out that impact that I have.
"I have always offset my CO2… there are so many people out there who hear about it, who don't know about it. In my mind, it's the right thing to do.
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"We need to make it cool," he added. "It can't just be a ticking-the-box exercise."
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex came under fire throughout the summer after reportedly taking four private jet journeys in 11 days, seemingly at odds with their views on supporting the environment.
This included a private flight to the home of singer Elton John in Nice, after which the musician defended the couple in a post on Instagram, saying the royals needed "high-level protection".
Representatives from companies including Skyscanner, Booking.com and TripAdvisor were at the launch of Travalyst – a partnership to promote sustainable tourism.
During the speech, the prince said he had been inspired to help set up the partnership after hearing how climate change had affected local communities "who live and breathe it every day".
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