Elton John Slams Critics Of Meghan Markle, Prince Harry

Elton John  on Monday blasted critics of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle ’s use of private planes for recent vacation trips to Spain and France.

The singer, who was a close friend of the late Princess Diana , slammed what he called the “malicious” and “distorted” media coverage that criticized the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for flying on private planes even as they posted an environmentally friendly message about everybody doing their bit. The couple flew on private aircraft four times over 11 days, according to the Daily Mail.

“I am deeply distressed by today’s distorted and malicious account in the press surrounding the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s private stay at my home in Nice last week,” John wrote on Twitter, referring to the second trip.

“I feel a profound sense of obligation to protect Harry and his family from the unnecessary press intrusion that contributed to Diana’s untimely death,” the pop icon added.

John said that he and his husband, David Furnish, lent the duke and duchess their home after the royal couple’s “hectic year continuing their hard work and dedication to charity.” 

“To maintain a high level of much-needed protection, we provided them with a private jet flight,” the singer said.

Photos of the royals boarding the plane home from southern France led to immense criticism from the media and individual commenters.  

John tweeted that he ensured the flight was carbon neutral by “making the appropriate contribution to Carbon Footprint™.” 

“I highly respect and applaud both Harry and Meghan’s commitment to charity and I’m calling on the press to cease these relentless and untrue assassinations on their character that are spuriously crafted on an almost daily basis,” he wrote, before signing off on the Twitter thread. 

The news and criticism come after Harry said in a British Vogue interview with Dr. Jane Goodall that he and Meghan would have “two [children], maximum,”  in a talk that centered around the environment, responsibility and climate change. 

“I’ve always thought: this place is borrowed,” the prince said in the interview. “And, surely, being as intelligent as we all are, or as evolved as we all are supposed to be, we should be able to leave something better behind for the next generation.” .