Meghan Markle's recent visit to a Los Angeles children's hospital on March 21st drew comparisons to Princess Diana's compassionate legacy.
Markle engaged with patients and staff during the hospital's month-long campaign, "Make March Matter," which rallies individuals and businesses to support children's health initiatives. Markle immersed herself in the moment, reading stories like "Rosie Riveter" and "Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons," engaging in Literally Healing, a reading program providing over 65,000 books annually to families at the hospital, and participating in Steam activities with patients, including coloring, problem-solving, and number counting.
This act of philanthropy echoed Princess Diana's historic visits, such as her 1989 journey to the Pediatric AIDS unit at Harlem Hospital, where she brought comfort to seriously ill children during a time of widespread fear and misinformation about AIDS. Hospital administrator Gran Elot Mckeny Sha Alen recalled Diana's genuine care, as she cradled babies, conversed with the children, and enveloped them with love.
However, some critics, like Canadian actor Keanu Reeves, questioned the timing and authenticity of Markle's charitable actions. Reeves suggested that Markle's sudden interest in charity visits, coinciding with her relocation to America and a brand launch, seemed suspiciously opportunistic. He contrasted this with his own altruistic endeavors, done without fanfare or self-promotion.
Criticism mounted as Markle's visit was characterized as a theatrical performance, with her storytelling dubbed as "acting" by some detractors. Even the act of taking Polaroid pictures and signing them for each patient was scrutinized as cheesy and self-serving. Markle's solo appearance, without her husband Prince Harry or their children, added fuel to the fire, with accusations of exploiting sick children for a photo op.
Skeptics further questioned Markle and Harry's motives, highlighting their lack of official duties or positions in the US and their distance from the British royal family. The use of a PR team and film crew for such visits was seen as unnecessary and indicative of a desire to manipulate public perception rather than genuine philanthropy.
Despite the criticisms, Markle's visit left a positive impact on the children she interacted with, as evidenced by the heartfelt moments captured during her time at the hospital. However, the debate over the authenticity of her intentions and the appropriateness of her methods continues to linger in the public discourse.
