Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have expressed their displeasure at comments made by actress Justine Bateman, who labelled the couple as “disaster tourists” in the wake of their efforts to support Los Angeles wildfire victims.
A source close to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex told Page Six that the couple found Bateman’s claims “offensive.” The source stated, “It’s offensive to Meghan and Harry that anybody would think this is merely a photo opportunity. Meghan was born and raised in Los Angeles, so this is, and always will be, home to her.”
The couple’s representative went on to clarify that Meghan’s involvement was deeply personal, saying, “[She is] not just a tourist, her heart is completely broken for all the lives that have been lost and for those whose homes have been destroyed in these fires.” The statement also highlighted that they had invested time, resources, and money into helping those affected, long before the media coverage began.
The controversy arose after Justine Bateman took to X (formerly Twitter) to criticise the couple’s actions, calling their visit a “repulsive photo op.” She wrote, “Meghan Markle and Harry are no better than ambulance chasers. What a repulsive ‘photo op’ they achieved. They are ‘touring the damage?’ Are they politicians now? They don’t live here; they are tourists. Disaster Tourists. #PalisadesFire.”
Meghan also postponed the release of her Netflix cookery show, With Love, Meghan, from 15 January to 4 March, citing the need to focus on the aftermath of the wildfires in California. She expressed gratitude to her Netflix partners for supporting the decision, stating, “I’m thankful to my partners at Netflix for supporting me in delaying the launch, as we focus on the needs of those impacted by the wildfires in my home state of California.”
Meghan and Harry have consistently advocated for community involvement and have dedicated significant effort to charity work, particularly focusing on mental health, social justice, and environmental causes.