Amid the ongoing Los Angeles fire catastrophe, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have ignited yet another drama.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been widely criticised for visiting the Pasadena Convention Center during the horrific crisis, to lend support to fire victims and first responders. While there, the couple handed out food parcels, chatted with evacuees, and inspected some of the fire damage.
“As a native-born Angelino, Meghan felt compelled to help almost as soon as the fires started,” a royal insider tells New Idea.
“She was determined to offer whatever assistance she could, as soon as she could.”

But that desire to get involved has led to both Meghan, 43, and Harry, 40, being dubbed “disaster tourists” by actress Justine Bateman. She harshly added that the pair were “no better than ambulance chasers”.
It was pointed out that the Sussexes motorcade would have traveled around 170km from Montecito, which was itself on the edge of an “extreme danger zone” at New Idea’s press time, to Pasadena, skirting around several active fire grounds.

While the deluge of criticisms has stung – a source told Page Six Harry and Meghan found Justine’s comments particularly “offensive” – that hasn’t stopped the duchess. On January 13, she delivered clothing and toiletries to the Altadena Teen Girls Fire Recovery group.
As a result, New Idea has learned that Harry is relieved to be escaping America later this month, even if that is to return to London for his High Court trial against Rupert Murdoch’s News Group Newspapers.

“Harry is fed up by the constant criticism he and Meghan encounter over their actions – no matter how well-meaning,” our source says.
That being said, Harry is also conflicted about leaving Meghan and their young kids, Prince Archie, five, and Princess Lilibet, three, when things in Los Angeles are so precarious.
“Meghan has always painted a picture of an idyllic life in California.
“But this current catastrophe, in addition to the ever-present earthquake threat, has Harry seriously thinking about just how safe Los Angeles is for their family,” adds the source.