Prince Harry and Meghan Markle find Justine Bateman’s disaster tourist comment amid LA fires ‘offensive’

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have reportedly found Justine Bateman’s disparaging comments “offensive” after the royals were called “disaster tourists” by the actress. 

The duke, 40, and the duchess, 43, stepped out to help the Los Angeles fire victims on Friday, January 10. During the same time, photographs of them distributing food and other supplies to victims outside the Pasadena Convention Center surfaced on the internet.

However, the ‘Family Ties’ alum was not very genial to the royals’ kind act, as she called them out in a brutal rant on her social media.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle find Justine Bateman’s comments ‘offensive’

Recently, a source spilled to Page Six that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle disapproved of Justine Bateman’s comments and found them “offensive".

“It’s offensive to Meghan and Harry that anybody would think this is merely a photo opportunity,” told the source before explaining that though the couple currently lives 90 miles north of Los Angeles, the city Meghan considers her hometown. 

“Meghan was born and raised in Los Angeles so this is, and always will be, home to her,” shared the source.

The insider further claimed that Meghan is “not just a tourist” and “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 ‘Spare’ author and his former actress wife have “invested significant time and resources, they have donated money and essential items,” added the source. 

They also noted, “They have also dedicated countless hours to volunteering, long before the media even caught wind of their involvement.”

Justine Bateman's comments were ‘ill-informed’, claims insider

Following the Sussexes’ visit to the Pasadena Convention Center on Friday, Justine Bateman slammed the couple on X on Saturday, claiming they “are no better than ambulance chasers".

After sharing a clip of the couple helping, she wrote, “What a repulsive ‘photo op’ they achieved. They are ‘touring the damage’? Are they politicians now?”

She continued in her fiery rant, “They don’t live here; they are tourists. Disaster Tourists. #PalisadesFire.”

Nevertheless, a source with knowledge of the couple’s visit to the victims shared with the New York Post that the ‘Violet’ actress’ characterization of the event was entirely “ill-informed” and "sad". 

“Justine’s claim is not only sad, it’s also very ill-informed,” said the source before adding, “They just showed up.”

The source further stressed that the couple wanted their visit to remain incognito. 

Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo too praised the royal couple during an interview with Fox 11, saying, “They didn’t come out here for publicity; they came out here to work.”

“We went to visit some of the families in the impacted area and view first hand some of the impacted areas,” Gordo added, before continuing, “And then they wanted to go visit the first responders and personally thank them for their efforts to help our families and our neighbors.”

He concluded, “They really buoyed the spirits of the first responders.”

As per reports, ever since the fire started, the duke and the duchess have come forward to help the victims. They opened the doors to their $29.5 million Montecito mansion for friends who were displaced by the LA fires.

Moreover, prior to their visit and volunteering work on Friday, Harry and Markle made financial donations through their Archewell Foundation and donated physical items - including clothing and toys that once belonged to their children Archie and Lilibet - to help support the victims. 

New York Post reports that their visit on Friday was not a planned press visit, but rather an honest attempt to help the unfortunate while trying to avoid causing disruption.

The Los Angeles fire that started last week, has caused mayhem and resulted in the deaths of at least 24 people. The biggest of them - the Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire - have displaced over 150,000 people and burned over 40,000 acres. Thousands are still under evacuation orders.