Sipu Jha
Prince William’s visit to Brazil for his Earthshot Prize has stirred a row, with social media accusing him of hypocrisy over his carbon footprint. The Prince of Wales travelled roughly 8,800 kilometres to Rio de Janeiro for this year’s Earthshot events, which are being held just days before the COP30 climate conference begins in Belém.The Earthshot Prize awards £1 million to each of five innovative climate solutions, with ceremonies held on different continents. This year’s stop in Rio was meant to showcase global climate leadership and tie into the messaging around COP30. William arrived in the city last week and was handed the ceremonial keys to Rio. According to Newsweek, William’s flew commercially, with support from Earthshot and the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. But the details of the travel didn’t stop backlash. The posts attacked the Prince closely, with a long-running debate around Prince Harry’s use of private jets.
Internet’s venting session
- Several X users said the optics were “detached from reality.” One wrote: “Travelling by private jet to a conference about climate change is a level of detachment from reality that’s impossible to grasp.”
- Others slammed the climate conference COP30 itself, pointing out the number of VIP flights heading to Brazil: “Hundreds of private jets from around the world are descending on Belém to talk about climate change and ways to restrict your free movement. If this makes sense to you, you’re part of the problem.”
- Another user wrote: “Private jet to come lecture on carbon emissions. Thirteen kilometres of the Amazon destroyed for this entitled lazy man to come lecture and take pics on the beach.” Others mocked the idea he was “preparing his speech,” joking that he was probably reading it for the first time after aides wrote it.
- Some comments also tied the criticism to recent tensions around the monarchy, noting that William’s trip comes as the royal family continues facing public scrutiny over Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and his past links with Jeffrey Epstein.
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