While his team didn’t come away with the Rugby World Cup win, Prince Harry looked as if he had a heap of fun during his solo whirlwind visit to Japan at the weekend to watch the final match of the tournament between England and South Africa.
And while he met many adoring fans during his quick visit, including one fan he flashed his wedding ring to with a smile when she told him he was “handsome”, there was one particular fan of the Prince who was so “shook” at seeing him unexpectedly, they admit they nearly fell off their seat!
Taking to Twitter, Irish drag queen Victoria Secret tweeted her excitement at spotting the Prince on her Nippon Airways flight saying: “Sitting across from Prince Harry on our flight to Tokyo… and I can confirm he is a beaut.
“Nearly fell off my seat when he came on board.”
When someone replied they didn’t know whether she was joking or not she replied: “100% telling the truth. Shook.”
Adding: “There’s also a tonne of rugby beauts on board. Every flight after this is going to disappoint me.”
She also posted an Instagram story, which showed a glimpse of Prince Harry taking his seat in premium economy on the commercial flight.
Prince Harry was spotted on an economy flight from London to Tokyo. (Image: Instagram/@victoriasecretdublin)
Harry’s commercial flight – in premium economy no less – comes just months after he and his wife Duchess Meghan were criticised for taking four private plane flights to and from holidays on the island of Ibiza and the south of France where they were labelled ‘hypocrites’ for voicing their concerns about the environment and climate change, yet still opting to travel by private jet.
Following the news they flew to the French Riviera by private plane in August, UK Labour MP Teresa Pearce called on Harry and Meghan to “lead by example” on environment issues, The Sun reported at the time.
“Given the position they have taken publicly about being responsible on climate change, this does seem an anomaly which they should look at,” Pearce said.
“It’s up to all of us to cut our carbon emissions, and the number of flights we take a year.
“That is really important – and someone as high profile as that should lead by example.”
Adding: “I find it quite surprising because it doesn’t fit with their public image and the way they’re so concerned about the planet and the environment.”
Meghan and Harry were criticised for not leading by example, following their multiple private plane flights within a month of each other. (Image: Getty)
Following the criticism, music icon Sir Elton John spoke out in defence of the couple, slamming the “distorted and malicious” accounts and shared the truth behind the couple’s visit to Nice, which he reveals was paid for by him and his husband David Furnish.
“I am deeply distressed by today’s distorted and malicious account in the press surrounding the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s stay at my home in Nice last week,” he wrote in a thread of tweets posted to Twitter in August.
Saying he and David wanted to treat the young family-of-three to a private holiday at the couple’s home in Nice and to “maintain a high level of much-needed protection, we provided them with a private jet flight.”
He added that to support Harry and Meghan’s commitment to the environment, he ensured the flight was carbon neutral by making the appropriate contribution to Carbon Footprint.
Sir Elton John, who was close friends with Harry’s late-mother Princess Diana, spoke out in defence of the Sussexes. (Image: Getty)
The following month Prince Harry launched a global travel initiative, partnering with travel and tourism giants such as Booking.com, CTrip, Skyscanner, TripAdvisor and VISA.
It was here that Harry also addressed the criticism, when asked about his own travel choices, replying: “I spend 99 per cent of my life travelling the Earth by commercial.
“But occasionally I have to make the decision not to, to ensure my family are safe.”
