Royal Mockery: England’s Rugby Team Takes a Swipe at Prince Harry Over Climate Change Stance

England's rugby coach and players have found themselves in hot water after mocking Prince Harry for what they viewed as his contradictory stance on climate change.

The incident occurred during a training session where former England coach, Eddie Jones, known for his no-nonsense approach, couldn't resist taking a dig at Harry.

In a cheeky tone, Jones quipped, “How's climate change going, mate?

How was Elton John's jet?”

The jest was aimed at Harry, who had attended the session in his previous capacity as England's rugby patron and had addressed the players.

The source of the ridicule stemmed from an article published by The Sun, which exposed Harry and Meghan's use of a private jet to travel to Nice in August 2019, despite the availability of numerous daily commercial flights from London.

Following the publication of the story, music icon Elton John stepped forward to defend the couple.

He clarified on Twitter that Harry and Meghan had used his private jet due to security concerns during their trip.

Elton emphasized the necessity of heightened security for the couple and confirmed that he had provided his luxurious 12-seater Cessna plane, a service that would typically cost over £20,000 to hire.

The revelation, which was discussed on the For the Love of Rugby podcast by England player Ben Youngs, shed light on the perceived inconsistency between Harry and Meghan's environmental activism and their choice of transportation.

Youngs shared an anecdote with teammate Dan Cole, recounting a moment when Prince Harry, stripped of his royal titles following his step back from royal duties in 2021, interacted with the team during a training session.

Jones' playful jab at Harry's environmental practices elicited laughter from the players, including Ben Youngs, who jokingly remarked, “Just thrown Eddie under the bus there.

And Prince Harry.”

Prince Harry's involvement with England's Rugby Football Union dates back to 2016 when he became its patron.

He later extended his patronage to the Rugby Football League in 2017, regularly participating in training sessions and showing his support from the sidelines.

However, following his decision to step back from royal responsibilities, Harry was stripped of both roles, which were subsequently passed on to Catherine, now known as the Princess of Wales.

This isn't the first time Harry and Meghan have faced criticism for their use of private jets despite championing environmental causes.

In a separate incident in November of the previous year, the couple faced backlash for flying on a private jet to attend a Katy Perry concert.

The duo joined a cohort of celebrities, including Cameron Diaz, Benjy Madden, and Zoe Saldana, on a short flight from Santa Barbara to Las Vegas aboard a plane owned by Texan oil heir Michael Hurd.

When approached by The Sun for comment, Hurd defended the couple's actions, citing their commitment to environmental issues and Harry's vocal advocacy on the subject.

Despite the scrutiny surrounding their travel choices, Prince Harry has continued to speak out on various global issues.

In 2022, he delivered a keynote address at the United Nations, highlighting the challenges faced by vulnerable populations and condemning the spread of misinformation and attacks on democracy worldwide.