Justine Bateman’s Harsh Remarks About Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s Charity Work Over LA Fires Send Shockwaves Through Hollywood!
Amid the destructive wildfires sweeping Southern California, Duke and Duchess of Meghan Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have found themselves at the center of controversy.
British expats Prince Harry and Meghan Markle recently visited an evacuation center in Pasadena, where they met with first responders and victims of the disastrous Eaton Fire. The couple not only helped to serve meals at World Central Kitchen, which they have long ties with, but also opened their home to evacuees and donated various essentials to support the affected community.
A video posted by Fox 11 Los Angeles showed Prince Harry and Markle in Pasadena on Friday, January 10. “No one knew they were serving food with masks,” Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo said.
However, not everyone was impressed by their actions. “Family Ties” star Justine Bateman, who has previously been vocal about her dissatisfaction with local leadership’s handling of the wildfire crisis, took to X (formerly Twitter) to express her disapproval.
“Meghan Markle and Harry are no better than ambulance chasers,” the 58-year-old actress wrote. She went on to criticize their visit as an insensitive “photo op,” asking, “Are they politicians now? They don’t live here; they are tourists. Disaster Tourists.”
Bateman’s comments quickly garnered support, with many social media users agreeing with her assessment.
Others, however, praised the royal couple for their philanthropic efforts in a time of crisis. Among those defending the royals wrote, “Jennifer Garner volunteered at the same place, doing interviews with news station and striking poses for paparazzi (which meghan and harry did not do). yet, no one called Garner out. only Meghan. The hypocrisy is astounding (sic).”
The “Elektra” actress did volunteer at World Central Kitchen amid LA wildfire crisis. She was seen serving food in a food truck owned by the organization and talking about losing a friend and battling survivor’s guilt amid the devastating disaster in an interview with MSNBC.
Besides calling out Harry and Meghan, Justine Bateman criticized state and city administrators for failing to adequately fund fire and police departments. “If you’re not doing everything you can to take care of those problems if they arise, then get out. You are useless to us,” she declared.
As of the latest reports from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, three major fires – the Palisades Fire, Eaton Fire, and Hurst Fire – continue to rage in Los Angeles, with the Eaton Fire only 27% contained. The fires have claimed 16 lives and destroyed over 12,300 structures.
