Featured Image Credit: Instagram/@meghan
Topics: Meghan Markle, Celebrity, Royal Family, Billie Eilish, US News, Music
Rhiannon Ingle
Topics: Meghan Markle, Celebrity, Royal Family, Billie Eilish, US News, Music
Meghan Markle has been inundated with support after critics called her 'sickening' for getting Billie Eilish involved in a kind gesture.
In the video posted yesterday (4 February), Meghan shared with her 1.6 million Instagram followers her excitement after receiving a pretty hefty swag bag of Billie's merch - complete with a signed copy of her most recent album Hit Me Hard and Soft - for a teenager affected by the devastating LA wildfires.
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The mum-of-two explained that she'd planned to give the parcel to the 15-year-old girl in question, whose home was damaged in the fires last month.
She recalled meeting the teen, as well as her mother, while visited a community impacted by the wildfires alongside her husband, Prince Harry.
In the clip, Meghan shared that the mother told her that her daughter lost her beloved Billie Eilish t-shirt she owned while escaping the wildfires.
"About two or three weeks ago, when my husband and I were in Altadena, we went to a community where all the homes were left in ashes," Meghan said.
"This mom had found a couple things. And as I was talking to her, I turned and looked, and I saw this young woman, and I said, 'Oh my gosh. How old are you?'
"She's 15. She lives there. And her mum shared something with me and said that when they came back to see their house for the first time, which is, as we were meeting them, that all that she'd been looking for in her home was the t-shirt from the Billie Eilish concert that she had just gone to that she left in the washing machine or the dryer."
Meghan continued: "And of course, they now see their home and the washing machine and their dryer are ash. They're not there anymore. And so I said, 'I don't know Billie Eilish, but I'm gonna figure out how to get you this shirt'.
"So I thought of everybody that I knew, and I made a voice note, and I was like, 'Please, can someone get this voice note to Billie Eilish, here's what I'm asking guys'."
Showing the array of signed merch items, Meghan signed off: "Huge thank you, Billie Eilish, this is going to mean so much to her."
She also thanked 'everyone who's showing up for people in big and small ways to get through what's happened in California': "Just thank you so much. I'm gonna go and email her mom now. Just wanted to share that with you guys."
The Suits star captioned the clip: "Let’s keep supporting those affected by the California wildfires. Thanks to everyone who made this possible but most importantly, thank you to our first responders who are the community’s real heroes. As ever, Meghan."
It didn't take long for people on social media to call out Meghan - who has been the victim of online trolling and abuse for years now - following the clip.
"It's a shirt. Food shelter and money would have been better. Stop using tragedy for publicity. Sickening," hit out one person.
A second slammed: "See, a 'normal' celebrity would have met this young girl... did that even happen?... heard her story and set about trying to get her a t-shirt.
"But, here's where the story diverges from the norm. Said celebrity would have arranged to have the t-shirt delivered to the girl. Someone would have been there to capture the girl's reaction. THAT would have been the story.
"But, Oh, NO. Megsy Baby has to make it all about HER... as usual.... She's SO PATHETIC!!!"
Fans of Meghan have since rushed to her defence following such comments, with one X user responding: "The entire story was about the girl and the victims of the fire.
"You all hate her. We get that. We are under no delusion this hate campaign will stop but can't royalists be selective in your outrages? Pick your battles selectively. Aren't you tired of tilting at EVERY windmill?"
"You're the PATHETIC one for using this act of kindness to spread hate. Get a life," urged a second while a third chimed in: "You have NO idea if the child and her family want to be on camera, what their living situation is for anything to be directly delivered after their house burned down etc. "Meghan is a public figure thanking other public figures for their support for this child. Relax."
And a fourth praised: "What an angel! Meghan is so thoughtful to organise this & Billie is so kind to help!"
"I have a teenage daughter myself so I know just how much it will mean to that young girl. Meghan has given her some joy back, in the face of losing her home & everything she owned. Priceless," gushed a fifth.