Prince Charles has come up with an eco-friendly way to hop between Caribbean islands when he tours the archipelago with wife Camilla. For the official trip next March, the royal couple will charter a yacht in an effort to cut travel expenses and greenhouse gas emissions.
The £50-million Leander has been leased at a discounted rate from a friend of Camilla's, National Car Parks founder Donald Gosling.
And while commentators have remarked on its luxury features, which include a Jacuzzi and capacity for a crew of 25, officials emphasise the cost will be less than if the royals travelled by chartered planes on each leg of the journey.
Eco-conscious Charles will travel to Trinidad on a scheduled flight, before his entourage board the boat for stops in Tobago, St Lucia, Jamaica and Montserrat.
The vessel will also emit about 40 per cent fewer carbon emissions than the planes did on the Prince of Wales' last Caribbean tour in 2000.
Charles has begun thinking of increasingly imaginative ways to reduce his carbon footprint in the course of his royal duties. Earlier this year, he addressed a conference in Abu Dhabi by a Star-Trek style hologram, thereby saving on a flight.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
