Justine Bateman has some harsh words for Meghan Markle and Prince Harry.
The actress lashed out at the couple on X (formerly Twitter) this week, accusing them of capitalizing on the Los Angeles wildfires for personal gain.
As you’ve no doubt heard by now, Southern California has been ravaged by one of the worst natural disasters in the region’s history.
The Duke and Duchess Chip In
In addition to using their platform to help raise money for the rescue effort, Meghan and Harry have been meeting with Angelenos who have been most profoundly affected by this ongoing tragedy.
On Friday, the Sussexes joined Governor Gavin Newsom’s wife Jennifer as she visited the Pasadena Convention Center to meet with people who had been displaced by the fires.
Meghan also delayed the premiere date for her upcoming Netflix cooking show so that she could focus all of her attention on the relief effort.
Unfortunately, Harry and Meghan’s involvement has sparked backlash from a small but vocal collection of critics who have accused the couple of using the disaster to restore their battered public image.
The most high-profile of these critics is Bateman.
The actress — who’s best known for her work on Family Ties and Desperate Housewives — accused Harry and Meghan of staging a “photo op” as they chatted with relief workers.
Justine Lashes Out
“What a repulsive ‘photo op’ they achieved. They are ‘touring the damage’? Are they politicians now?” Bateman wrote on X (formerly Twitter) over the weekend.
“They don’t live here; they are tourists. Disaster Tourists. #PalisadesFire,” she concluded.
The claim that Meghan and Harry “don’t live here” was likely a reference to the fact that the duke and duchess reside in Santa Barbara, which is roughly a 90-minute drive from downtown Los Angeles.
But Meghan is an LA native, and the region has clearly become dear to Harry’s heart over the past five years.
Like others who have criticized the couple, Justine is likely experiencing a tremendous amount of pain as she witnesses the unfathomable suffering in her hometown.
But at times like this, we all have to give one another a little grace and assume the best about our neighbors.
Meghan and Harry have a long history of humanitarian, and until they give us reason to be skeptical, we’ll continue to have no doubts about their good intentions.