Royals accused of virtue signalling to cover for helicopter trips

The Royal Family has once again found itself in troubled water, with The Telegraph reporting their helicopters flew for 420 hours in the last year. That’s the equivalent of flying twice around the world – hardly actions befitting the supposedly environmentally conscious King Charles.

Two new helicopters which came into the Royal household's service last year have already flown a total of 58,000 miles – the equivalent of travelling twice around the Earth – the Telegraph has found🚁https://t.co/ayAq3Gsawe

— Victoria Ward (@victoria_ward) January 4, 2026

Saving the planet: one chopper ride at a time

According to The Telegraph, the Royal Family saw two new helicopters come into service this year, and have recorded so many hours that their environmental pledges have come into question:

What's interesting about this is that prince William does the least amount of "work" but flies the royal Helicopter the most while telling people to eat seaweed to save the environment. I Remember even Queen lizzie was tired of his shit. pic.twitter.com/ewfaiFUPyh

— Alexis is sowing discord in the West (@ArchewellBaby) January 5, 2026

Loyal monarchists often chime that the work of the Royal Family is important so justifies their exorbitant travel expenses. However, it’s hardly like we didn’t already know how frivolous the Royals are when determining the ‘necessary transport’:

🏇🚁 A royal ride for Camilla – at public expense!

The royal helicopter picked her up at Buckingham Palace to enjoy a day at the races.

Taxpayers paid for this. What a waste of money! #RoyalFlights pic.twitter.com/vgZGVhoyA8

— Campaign to Abolish the Monarchy (@nomoremonarchs) March 13, 2025

Princess Anne and Prince William were reported to have used the helicopters the most, but public ire is especially targeted at the hours recorded by the heir to the throne:

So the two royals who used the helicopters the most were Anne and William

You can understand Anne because she visits locations all over the uk and she does multiple events in one day

What the hell is William’s excuse? He barely works. Barely travels to remote areas of the uk.… https://t.co/67nS14bLkc

— IAmSage 🇨🇦🍁🇨🇦 (@SageKnowsAll) January 6, 2026

Interestingly, this X user points out we were told Prince William travelled to Liverpool by train, but something doesn’t add up:

🤔 🚁
'Prince' William Windsor went to Liverpool by train.
But –
The royal helicopter also went to Liverpool.
Its next stop was Windsor.
And it landed next to William's home.
Hmm! pic.twitter.com/CIjYbSZX9N

— Campaign to Abolish the Monarchy (@nomoremonarchs) January 25, 2025

Whoops, looks like Prince William has a bit of a track record here:

Yesterday news came out that Prince William took 10 helicopter flights over a period of 2 days

The Sovereign Grant report shows that the Family took 179 Helicopter flights topping £1M. But nobody's asking about their environmental activism or is it because they know it's all PR? pic.twitter.com/9xLYipTwbv

— Alexis is sowing discord in the West (@ArchewellBaby) June 29, 2023

Oh, and the sanctimony doesn’t end with Will, that’s a quality that appears to run in the Royals. In February last year, Hannah Sharland reported on the King’s rank hypocrisy:

In all his sovereign ruling magnanimity, king Charles has come to the “royal rescue” of the shivering proletariat pensioner masses this winter. Sausage-fingered chinless wonder Charlie-boy raised the portcullis of his Highgrove House former residence (one of seven palaces, 10 castles, 12 homes, 56 cottages) to his freezing, starving subjects for a well-mannered “Winter Warmer”, replete with resplendent regal luncheon from the Royal chefs. We’re sure there was plenty of gamey grouse and partridge from the king’s gruesome hunting grounds to go around.

She added:

There’s something enormously fucked up about people having to rely on warm banks in the first place to stay alive. No one in the UK in 2025 should be in fuel poverty and freezing to death in their homes. Of course, this isn’t ONLY down to tax-evading, freeloading con that is the Royal Family. Spineless energy ‘regulator’ Ofgem, Conservative governments in quick succession, and the current Labour government bear much of the blame for this.

However, it’s a kick in the teeth that this classist vestige of criminal colonial empire is using pensioners the Labour government has purposely poverty-stricken, to get a bit of good publicity for the Crown.

They can hardly suggest that they’re unaware of the climate change threats facing society. King Charles has always ‘championed’ the necessity of radical change in this area, as we reported way back in 2016.

The Royals are frauds – the lot of them

This report highlights the abysmal value for money that the taxpayer actually gets as a result of the high-flying choices of the monarchy. It also reveals just how fraudulent the Royal Family have shown themselves to be in the authenticity of their environmental promises.

It also begs the question, with Prince William clocking the most hours despite his engagements being some of the least: are they really worth our investment?

Featured image via Public Domain Pictures / Roger Harris (Wikimedia)