Prince Harry contradicts claim Meghan ‘hated’ New Zealand tour

Prince Harry’s surprise new eco-tourism ad included a subtle – but very telling – admission about his wife, Meghan Markle.

Prince Harry insisted that he and Meghan Markle had an “incredible” time during their royal tour of New Zealand despite shocking claims made in a new book.

On Monday, a comedic skit starring the Duke of Sussex was unveiled on a New Zealand TV station to promote his eco-travel campaign, which encourages people to travel sustainably.

The five-minute advert, which also premiered on YouTube, is part of Travalyst, an initiative the 37-year-old launched in 2019.

In the clip, Harry is seen jogging through a park before being chased by “rating agents,” played by Kiwi actors Rhys Darby, Dave Fane and Rena Owen.

During the skit, Harry is accused of dropping a lolly wrapper while on his trip to New Zealand in 2018, which gives him an environmental rental rating of three out of five. The father of two, wearing a cap and a grey shirt that read “Girl Dad,” admitted he didn’t remember, to which Darby replied, “It might have been a confusing time, it was windy.”

“I don’t think it was confusing,” said Harry. “It was an incredible time. We had an amazing time in New Zealand. It’s beautiful.”

Darby later said that he intended to rank another Brit named Harry – Harry Styles.

Harry’s commentary about his 2018 visit to the South Pacific with his wife came shortly after Tina Brown alleged in her book that the Duchess of Sussex “hated” the royal tour.

The former Vanity Fair editor recently wrote The Palace Papers: Inside the House of Windsor – the Truth and the Turmoil. It explores “the scandals, love affairs, power plays and betrayals” that have rocked the British royals during the last 20 years and features new revelations based on Brown’s access to palace insiders.

Harry and Meghan on their 16-day Autumn tour visiting cities in Australia, Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand. (Photo by Phil Noble - Pool/Getty Images)

The best-selling author previously wrote a biography on Harry’s mother titled The Diana Chronicles, which was published in 2007. For her latest book, Brown said she spoke to more than 120 sources who were close to senior members of the royal family.

Brown alleged that the former Suits star “apparently hated every second” of her 2018 tour, which earned the couple glowing reviews around the world.

A former palace employee alleged to Brown that Meghan “found the itinerary of engagements ‘pointless.’”

“She didn’t understand why things were set up in that way,” the source claimed about the former American actress. “Instead of being excited when thousands of people showed up at the Opera House [in Sydney during the Australian leg of the tour], it was very much like, ‘What’s the purpose? I don’t understand this.’”

Harry and Meghan arriving at Te Papaiouru Marae in Rotorua on October 31, 2018. Picture: David Rowland/POOL/AFP

Brown wrote that “this” referred to “being the representational role of the British monarchy and its traditional agenda, rather than the focus on causes she wanted to spotlight.”

Harry’s eco-rating initiative, which will launch in New Zealand, allows resorts and guests to rate each other based on how travellers impact “the business, the community, and the planet” during their trips.

“We created the non-profit Travalyst to rethink how travel can continue to expand our global understanding, to break down barriers, and to create cultural connections through experiences we otherwise wouldn’t have,” Harry announced in a press release. “We do this while, at the same time, ensuring local communities truly feel benefit from tourism and safeguarding essential ecosystems.”

“In a world where we’re tasked with rating so many things, we’re now asking: what if your destination rated you?” he continued. “Starting in beautiful Aotearoa, New Zealand, we’re launching our first campaign. There is a well-known Māori proverb: Ehara taku toa I te toa takitahi, ēngari he toa takitini (Success is not the work of an individual, but the work of many) – we invite you to be a part of our many.”

When Travalyst was launched, Harry was criticised by the tabloids for using private jets.

“I spend 99% of my life travelling the world by commercial,” he later clarified about his usage of private jets. “Occasionally there needs to be an opportunity based on a unique circumstance to ensure that my family is safe – it’s generally as simple as that.”

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s departures from royal duties began in 2020 over what they described as the British media’s intrusions and racist attitudes toward Meghan. The family now resides in the coastal city of Montecito, California, with their two children.

This article originally appeared in Fox News and was reproduced with permission.

Originally published as Prince Harry contradicts claim Meghan ‘hated’ New Zealand tour