No matter what she does, Meghan Markle will always face criticism for her actions. The Duchess of Sussex recently visited victims of the California wildfires in Pasadena alongside her husband, yet her detractors have managed to twist this supposedly charitable action into something else.
Markle has been told she should handle her “grief with dignity” after she was spotted with Harry in LA last week. The pair paid a visit to a food bank in the city and also met with the mayor, Victor Gordo, as well as a handful of emergency workers. The duchess was snapped by multiple photo agencies as well as the local news outlet, Fox 11, as the disaster continues tearing its way through the Pacific Palisades. The Eton fires rage on in Altadena too, though it has made forward momentum toward further containment.
Markle received backlash from royal commentators who labelled her a “disaster tourist.” Royal commentator Amanda Platell stated that Markle should step back and take a more private approach, akin to how Kate Middleton handles tragedies.
Meghan should show “grief with dignity”
Platell painted Meghan in a pretty negative light, almost accusing the duchess of using the disaster as an opportunity to make it about herself. She wrote, “It could all have been so different. If only the smug, bit-part actress Meghan – who thought she knew it all – had taken a leaf out of Kate’s book in handling grief with dignity.”
Platell uses Kate Middleton’s appearance in Southport after the stabbing of multiple children last year as a contrasting example of how to handle oneself when offering support for a tragedy when you’re a member of the royal family. She pointed to the lack of fanfare and film crew in tow, “No media was tipped off about the visits. No cameras were allowed to witness their harrowing meetings.”
The Sussexes have often found themselves accused of attention-seeking behavior and clearly Platell believes that this is just another publicity stunt for Meghan. “Did Meghan ever consider that the last thing [victims] needed was a publicity-seeking, celebrity duchess sobbing on their shoulder?”
Is this all a little bit too harsh?
While Platell may well be correct in her assertions about Meghan Markle, it seems a little harsh considering her and her husband seem to be doing their best to offer support to those affected. What’s more, the disaster is only down the road from her and Harry’s Montecito mansion. In fact, their home is at risk too, so it’s hardly “disaster tourism” when this tragedy is happening in her own local community.
The disaster is also receiving near constant coverage right now so it’s also a little difficult to avoid cameras and film crews in the area. Perhaps Meghan is trying to score some brownie points with some performative charity, but it’s difficult to see what she and Harry could have done differently to avoid the public attention here.
Published: Jan 16, 2025 12:55 pm