Ellen DeGeneres Defends Meghan Markle, Prince Harry Amid Vacation Controversy

Elton John has also spoken up on behalf of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

Ellen DeGeneres rushed to the defense of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle amid an outcry over the couple’s use of private planes for vacations in Spain and France.

Critics have slammed the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for taking four private flights in 11 days, apparently contradicting their environmentally friendly messages. But DeGeneres, who revealed she’s met the royals, wasn’t having it.

“Portia and I met Prince Harry and Meghan in England to talk about their work on wildlife conservation,” the talk show host and comedian tweeted on Monday.

“They were the most down-to-earth, compassionate people. Imagine being attacked for everything you do, when all you’re trying to do is make the world better,” she wrote, alongside a picture of the two.

Over 70,000 people liked DeGeneres’ tweet, but the 3,000 replies to it were divided in camps supporting the royals or endorsing the criticism directed at the duke and duchess.

“Thank you so so much Ellen for having the courage to say this!” one Twitter user wrote. “We have literally seen the systematic targeting of Harry and Meghan with a deliberate aim to bring them down! lt is beyond heartbreaking and about time that they are defended with loud voices!”

Others weren’t so sure why the talk show host was sticking up for the two.

“They’re not being attacked for ‘everything they do’, they’re being criticised for their breathtaking hypocrisy, lecturing others on carbon pollution whilst travelling everywhere by private jet or Range Rover, but you know that,” another added.

Elton John also spoke up on behalf of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex following what he called a “distorted and malicious account in the press” of the couple’s vacation at his home in Nice, France.

“Prince Harry’s Mother, Diana Princess Of Wales was one of my dearest friends. 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 singer said.

John added that he and his husband, David Furnish, lent the couple their home to relax and also provided them with a private jet flight, which he said they ensured was carbon-neutral with a contribution to Carbon Footprint.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex chat with Elton John as they arrive for the European premiere of "The Lion King" in London on July 14.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex chat with Elton John as they arrive for the European premiere of "The Lion King" in London on July 14.
POOL New / Reuters

“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,” John wrote in his latest tweet about the incident.

In July, the prince spoke with Jane Goodall about the environment, responsibility and climate change in an interview for British Vogue’s September issue, which Meghan guest-edited.

“I’ve always thought: this place is borrowed,” Harry 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.”

He added that he and Meghan were planning on having “two [children], maximum,” seemingly for environmental reasons.

Subscribe to HuffPost’s Watching the Royals newsletter for all things Windsor (and beyond).

Popular in the Community

Close

What's Hot