For vowing to only have two children max, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have received an environmental award from the United Kingdom-based charity Population Matters. The group dubbed the estranged ex-royals “role models” for their “enlightened decision.”
Back in 2019, Harry and Markle pledged not to have more than two kids out of global sustainability fears. Prince Harry said in a 2019 interview with British Vogue that the couple would only have two kids, “maximum” because he and his wife believe the Earth “is borrowed.” “Because surely, being as intelligent as we all are, or as evolved as we all are supposed to be,” said Harry, “we should be able to leave something better behind for the next generation.”
The pair have a two-year-old son, Archie Harrison, and a one-month-old daughter, Lilibet Diana, so this means the couple presumably plans not to add any more children to their family.
“In choosing and publicly declaring their intention to limit their family to two, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are helping to ensure a better future for their children and providing a role model for other families,” a Population Matters spokesperson said. “Having a smaller family reduces our impact on the Earth, and provides a better chance for all our children, their children, and future generations to flourish on a healthy planet. We commend the Duke and Duchess for taking this enlightened decision, and for affirming that a smaller family is also a happy family.”
“Population Matters,” a 30-year-old organization that aims to “create a wave of public awareness and corresponding policy action on overpopulation and unsustainable consumption,” presented the couple a prize of $695 to contribute to the charity of their choice.
On its website, the population control organization says, “A little less makes a lot of difference,” arguing that every human puts “pressure on the natural world, consumes the Earth’s finite resources and contributes to climate change.” According to Population Matters, the way to “help our planet” is for people to have smaller families.
However, many experts do not believe population control will actually do anything to help the environment. Moreover, modern population control polices in places like India and China have had very negative consequences, like severe gender imbalance and forced sterilizations.
This history of the population control movement is also deeply entwined in the classism and racism of the eugenics movement. The racist and classist goals of early 20th century population controllers, such as Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger and forced sterilization enthusiast and Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, often do not sound far off from those of modern population control supporters. They also advocate to forcibly limit fertility in the name of “poverty, crime, misery,” and, of course, the environment.
Harry and Meghan are known climate fanatics, and Harry has even claimed the Wuhan coronavirus pandemic was a punishment from “Mother Nature” for humanity harming the Earth.
Unfortunately for Markle and Harry, their climate crisis cries have largely fallen on deaf ears. Many point out that if the couple were truly concerned about global sustainability, the little family of four wouldn’t live in an 18,671-square-foot mansion with amenities that include a library, gym, separate wet and dry saunas, a game room, a home theater, and an arcade. They also wouldn’t use private jets that have drastically increased Harry and Markle’s personal carbon footprint.
How ridiculous to give anyone an award 4 only having 2 children!
Especially when these 2 live in a 16 bathroom mega mansion, use gallons of water for gardens, drive super gas guzzlers & use private jets regularly! Their Carbon footprint is huge! https://t.co/Q18QDpzQs3
— According2Taz (@superscuba83) July 10, 2021
All things considered, one has to wonder if the couple’s two-child decision is not about the environment at all, but actually a slight at Harry and Markle’s in-laws, Prince William and Duchess Kate, who have three children so far.
The seemingly never-ending feud Prince Harry inflicts on Prince William appeared to only be escalating in the wake of Prince Harry and Markle’s highly rated March Oprah interview, where the couple bitterly accused the rest of the British royal family of racism and jealousy.
Following the recent unveiling ceremony for the statue dedicated to the brothers’ late mother Princess Diana, Harry and William have reportedly “turned a new page.” As for the award announcement, the duke and duchess appear to be unfazed and uninspired by their in-laws’ two-child statements, with rumors floating that Kate and William are hoping for a fourth child.
Source: The Federalist
