Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton both support a variety of charitable causes. However, Meghan reportedly feels like she and the Princess of Wales are often held to different standards when it comes to their charity work. Some of Meghan’s charitable efforts have sparked backlash, and an insider claims that the Duchess of Sussex doesn’t appreciate the way some people have judged her for trying to help.
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Meghan Markle has volunteered to help California wildfire victims.
As wildfires raged through communities in the Los Angeles area, Meghan tried to help those impacted by the fires. In January, Meghan expressed support for a grassroots organization started by 14-year-old Avery Colvert. The organization, which is called Altadena Girls, shared a video that showed Meghan helping out. She reportedly volunteered, donated some items to girls affected by the wildfires, and bought lunch for volunteers. Altadena Girls thanked Meghan and Prince Harry’s Archewell Foundation for donating to the organization.
In February, Meghan shared a video in which she spoke about a mom and her 15-year-old daughter, whom she met in Altadena. The teenager had just gone to a Billie Eilish concert and purchased a T-shirt. However, she lost the shirt in the fire. After hearing this story, Meghan was determined to find a way to connect with Billie Eilish and get new merch for the teen. In the video, Meghan showed off the merch that Billie sent her, which included shirts, a lunch box, and a signed vinyl.
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“Let’s keep supporting those affected by the California wildfires,” Meghan captioned the video. “Thanks to everyone who made this possible but most importantly, thank you to our first responders who are the community’s real heroes.”
Some people were not impressed by Meghan’s charitable efforts.
Across social media, many people were critical of Meghan’s Billie Eilish merch video. They accused her of being “tone deaf” and making the video for attention. The naysayers added that she could’ve just done the kind gesture privately without making a video about it.
“Why would she post a video of this?” one person questioned on X. “To brag about her ‘charity’ in getting a signed tshirt for a girl that lost all of her belongings. This feels so off.”
“Charity is not patting oneself on the back for PR,” another critic wrote on X. However, other comments were more complimentary, with one person calling Meghan “a total sweetheart.”
Meghan reportedly feels a bit ‘bitter’ — especially because Kate Middleton hasn’t faced the same backlash.
Around the same time, Kate Middleton was involved in her own charity work. On January 30, 2025, Kate visited a children’s hospice in Wales. Kate’s hospice visit reportedly left Meghan feeling a bit “hurt,” a source said, per the The Mirror US.
The insider claimed that “Meghan has of course noticed how millions of royal watchers seem to fawn over Kate’s every move — without giving her work so much as a passing look.”
The double standards have reportedly hurt Meghan. “The fact she was slammed for helping out in the wildfire relief effort while Kate’s held up as this almost saintly figure does hurt her,” the source claimed.
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