Prince Harry’s new mission hits fresh headwinds over hypocrisy debate
Prince Harry’s sustainable travel initiative Travalyst has appointed Professor Graham Miller as its new director.
Miller previously worked as a lecturer at the University of Surrey and has been outspoken about the impact of frequent flying, once comparing the way people boast about air travel to bragging about driving after drinking.
“There was a time when mentioning on a Monday that you’d just flown back from Milan or New York made you sound sophisticated,” he said in 2020.
“Now it’s like boasting that you drank five pints and drove home.”
His appointment comes as Travalyst continues its mission to encourage more sustainable choices across the tourism industry, seven years after Harry founded the organisation in 2019 with the aim of reducing travel’s environmental impact.
However, the initiative has faced criticism since its launch, with critics questioning the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s own travel choices.
In 2019, the couple faced backlash after using private jets on several occasions, including trips during a period when Harry was publicly urging people to consider the environmental impact of their actions.
Responding to the criticism at the time, Harry acknowledged that nobody was perfect and said people could “do better”, while also explaining that security concerns sometimes influenced decisions involving his family’s travel arrangements.
