I never thought I would start a Meghan and Harry thread but...... had gone

Yes, some of their Hollywood A-List friends will not need Megan’s hospitality. They will probably book into 6* hotels.

Isn,that what the royal family has been doing for decades or more…and they don’t even offer to house folk!
Instead they charge the charities they sponsor huge rents….well they need to earn a crust.
Of course turning up at food banks with a huge entourage in massive 4x4,s wearing designer gear is acceptable for a photoshoot for Willie and Kate?
We need rid of them all

Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo told reporters: "This is their second visit today. We were here earlier today and they were serving food, anonymously. No one knew they were serving food, with masks on.
"They didn't come out here for publicity. They came out here to work
Sky News

They had also taken clothes, children's items and food.

The couple said "Some families and people have been left with nothing. Please consider donating clothing, children's toys and other essentials. The American Red Cross is on the ground helping those in need."

They are reported to have invited friends affected by the wildfires to stay with them.

No doubt someone recognised them and took photographs.
If they had done or said nothing I expect that would have been criticised too.

paddyann54

Isn,that what the royal family has been doing for decades or more…and they don’t even offer to house folk!
Instead they charge the charities they sponsor huge rents….well they need to earn a crust.
Of course turning up at food banks with a huge entourage in massive 4x4,s wearing designer gear is acceptable for a photoshoot for Willie and Kate?
We need rid of them all

Yeah, then we can have a President!

I think not, thank you.

Good for them.

They took their own bodyguards and camera crew

Photographs of Megan wearing a mask handing out food, Harry standing and watching, photographs of Megan without
mask hugging a few people

They took their own bodyguards
I'm not surprised.

The Royal family have always done this sort of thing.

I can't find fault in someone taking donations to people in need.

I was expecting them to do something. They’d have been heavily criticised if they hadn’t.

I wonder if Meghan’s mother, Doria, was affected?

They are not working royals, they left the family, they wanted to be financially independent

So they're just a couple who decided to go along and help out.
Still nothing to criticise, there.

Who is criticising ?

I took the opening thread, expressing revulsion, as a criticism.

The normal procedure in such emergencies is to ask private citizens to stay away and not get involved unless asked to. I would have thought quietly offering a friend a home and donating to any appeal for funds or goods would have been quite sufficient, with out them needing to turn up and make a photo opportunity.

I am usually totally indifferent to this couple. but something about this turning up during this disaster, when the fires are still raging struck me as so opportunistic and inapproriate, I felt quite queasy.

I took it to be a quasi ‘royal disaster visit’, where members of the RF do just that, visit a disaster area and offer sympathy and support to the victims.

Let’s face it, although ‘non working royals’, H&M are the nearest the USA have got to royalty, working or not.

And of course Meghan’s new Netflix show debuts this week.

Not how the royal family visit, they do not turn up without any
pre arrangements and do not tell victims which charities to use, and certainly not a charity they formed themselves.

Can’t do right for doing wrong springs to mind in this situation.

Harry and Meghan don’t have to follow any royal protocol so I would think they were advised to make a compassionate visit before the airing of Meghan’s Netflix series.

Maybe delaying the launch date would be appropriate given the awful circumstances.

I am no fan of M & H, but I take this action as genuine; they are helping practically, and I believe have made a substantial donation and are collecting and distributing items of practical use.

Their advice to the residents, visit the elderly, her father had
2 heart attacks and a stroke, this has caused many comments
Their visit is a celebrity visit not a royal visit

M0nica

It was reported today that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had gone to Los Angeles to give comfort and food to those affected by the dreadful wildfires there.

My immediate reaction was revulsion that well known celebrities, let alone this pair, should think visiting somewhere, quite some distance from where you live that is undergoing a horrendous catastrophe, which you can do nothing to alleviate, would benefit from your presence, hugging and talking to people, and, of course, being photographed doing so.

I understand that they have offered to house someone who has been burnt out. That shouldn't be too difficult, there are plenty of A listers who have been burnt out.

That’s my take on it too, this couple, far from wanting a private life will take any opportunity to grab some limelight.
They could have quietly taken in a few friends, tho as their pals are all very rich it wouldn’t have been necessary, but the other practical thing they could have done is donated to a fund to help poorer residents or organise something after asking the Mayor in burned areas what would be helpful.

paddyann54

Isn,that what the royal family has been doing for decades or more…and they don’t even offer to house folk!
Instead they charge the charities they sponsor huge rents….well they need to earn a crust.
Of course turning up at food banks with a huge entourage in massive 4x4,s wearing designer gear is acceptable for a photoshoot for Willie and Kate?
We need rid of them all

Absolutely!

What I’m saying is, don’t turn up to hug people.Unfortunately it’s who she is and Harry meekly follows in her wake.
After losing your home and whole neighbourhood to a terrible fire do you want to be hugged by an actress?Or anyone other than your own family or friends.

The RF follow protocol, Harry and Meghan are instructed by their paymasters.