prince charles hologram - world future energy summit '08

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Prince Charles has made his first appearance as a hologram in a bid to reduce the royal carbon footprint, and silence critics who accuse him of failing to live by his green principles.

His Royal Highness, who once generated nearly 15 tonnes of carbon waste when he and his entourage took a private jet 7000 miles to New York and Philadelphia to accept an environmentalist award, chose to address the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi using Musion Eyeliner Holographic technology.

He is the first member of the Royal family to make a public address in virtual form. As a result, the Prince could be seen in two places at once this morning - addressing the challenges of climate change on stage in Abu Dhabi, while also visiting the site of a former colliery in Ayrshire.

The Prince was said to be reluctant to attend the energy summit in person because flights for him and his entourage would have generated nearly 20 tons of carbon waste. Instead, the larger-than-life projection left roughly the same amount as a light bulb. Prince Charle's six-minute address was recorded in the drawing room of Clarence House last November.