Pink and Ellen DeGeneres join Sir Elton in defending Prince Harry and Meghan over private jet row

  • ITV News Royals Editor Chris Ship reports

Pop star Pink and chatshow host Ellen DeGeneres have joined Sir Elton John in defending the Duke and Duchess of Sussex over their use of private jets.

Writing on Twitter, Pink said the abuse Meghan had been subjected to was “the most public form of bullying I have seen in a while”.

Pink's defence of the Duchess comes after Meghan and Prince Harry were accused of hypocrisy for reportedly making four private jet journeys in 11 days.

Grammy award-winning Pink has urged fans to "be a bit kinder".

She tweeted: “I’m happy to see people coming to the defense of The Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

“The way people treat her is the most public form of bullying I have seen in a while. It’s out of control. Let’s all be a bit kinder, huh?," she said.

“Let’s show our children that it’s cool to be kind.”

Prince Harry and Meghan, who have been vocal supporters of environmental issues, have been criticised following reports in newspapers that they had taken a series of private plane journeys in recent weeks.

Sir Elton earlier defended the couple in a social media post, hitting out at the "relentless and untrue assassinations on their character” while DeGeneres said they were “the most down-to-earth, compassionate people”.

Sir Elton said he provided Harry and Meghan and their baby son Archie with a private flight to “maintain a high level of much-needed protection”.

He added he had made sure the flight was carbon neutral by making an "appropriate contribution" to a carbon footprint fund.

Sir Elton wrote: "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. Elton.”

The former Watford chairman famously performed at Prince Harry's late mother Diana's funeral in 1997, singing a version of his hit song Candle In The Wind.

He was also among a star-studded lineup of guests at Prince Harry and Meghan's wedding in Windsor last year.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's visit to Nice came after a reported holiday in Ibiza to celebrate Meghan's 38th birthday.

Ms DeGeneres also took to Instagram to defend the couple.

She wrote how she and her wife Portia had met Prince Harry and Meghan in England to talk about wildlife conservation.

"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," Ms DeGeneres wrote.

However, Greenpeace UK's chief scientist, Dr Doug Parr, warned that while good works could be done through offsetting schemes as espoused by Sir Elton it was not a "meaningful response".

Dr Parr stressed on Twitter: "Good works CAN be done with cash out into offset schemes, but it is no solution."