Meghan Meghan Markle hits the road in Los Angeles once again to show support for victims of the LA wildfires ravaging the city despite backlash. The Duchess and her husband Prince Harry have earned backlash in recent days for their decision to help out victims of the Los Angeles infernos by opening their doors to those in need and visiting the ruins left by the fire. These efforts, for many, are perceived as a much-needed gesture of kindness from the ex-royals. However, others deem it the couple’s way of garnering attention, and making the devastation “all about them,” for relevance, with the cameras trailing the duo validating these claims.
Meghan Markle proved her critics wrong on Thursday with an under-the-radar visit to teenagers affected by the wildfires in LA. On January 13, the star made a low-key visit to the young girls displaced by the fires, bringing along some essentials that could give them a sense of normalcy. According to People, Meghan collaborated with the Altadena Teen Girls Fire Recovery founded by 14-year-old Alvery Colvert. The charity, set up amid the raging wildfires in Los Angeles focuses on distributing personal care materials to displaced young girls.
Meghan Markle Supports Young Victims of LA Wildfires Despite Backlash
In addition to massive donations from Meghan and Prince Harry’s Archewell Foundation, the Suits alum made a point of joining the organization on the January 13 visit. Meghan Markle reportedly prepared new clothing, lunch, and even beauty products for the young victims of the LA wildfires, while also engaging with their families. Per People,
“Meghan directly engaged with families as they visited, helping the girls with sopping, sharing conversations, and providing much-needed support throughout the visit.”
Atladena Teen Girls Fire Recovery confirmed this visit in an Instagram comment, describing Meghan Markle’s support amid the wildfires as “Unreal,” and the experience, “life-changing.” This comes as the Duchess of Sussex continues to face backlash for joining relief efforts amid the devastating infernos. Spurred by former actress Justine Bateman, who called out Harry and Meghan for being “no better than ambulance chasers” the criticism reached its peak after netizens joined the conversation via various social media platforms. One Reddit user accused the Sussex couple of taking a “short stroll” through the rubbles, and “walking away” from the victims that truly need help, in the guise of “volunteering.” The user wrote,
“Yes, it was a short stroll and then they left. They were later pictured walking away from displaced people who had lost everything. It was heartbreaking that she wouldn’t even give them eye contact.”
Although many welcomed their support with open arms, their visit to the heart of LA to assess the Palisades wildfires has been mostly deemed a quest for attention given the publicity is stirred. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s earlier move to house friends fleeing the LA wildfires while urging others to do the same further intensified this backlash. However, going under the radar, with no paps in tow, to support young girls goes against everything critics think of the Duchess. This noble act, when it truly mattered, leaves critics in stitches, struggling to decipher her game plan this time around.