“They want to be as helpful as they can be,” Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo said of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are doing their part to help those impacted by the deadly wildfires in Southern California.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who live about 90 miles north of the L.A. area, visited the World Central Kitchen in Pasadena, Calif., to help distribute food and supplies to victims of the Eaton Fire on Friday, Jan. 10.
PEOPLE understands that they focused on discreetly supporting wildfire relief efforts, witnessing both harrowing stories and strong community spirit. They donated essential supplies, served meals with World Central Kitchen and connected with affected families and elderly individuals.
Alongside Jennifer Siebel Newsom, California’s First Partner, and Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo, they thanked first responders, including L.A. County firefighters and police.
Later, they met with World Central Kitchen founder José Andrés at the food stations to praise relief teams. Through their Archewell Foundation, they’ve also contributed monetary donations and plan to continue supporting recovery and rebuilding efforts with future visits.
In footage published by local news outlet FOX 11, the pair were joined by Andrés and were seen with conversing with Gordo and fellow volunteers.
“It’s great people, great personalities and great heart for them to come out here and meet with the first responders, meet with the people who were affected,” Gordo told the news station. “It’s very important.”
He added that Harry, 40, and Meghan, 43, “really buoyed the spirits of the first responders,” during their visit.
Meghan, who was born in raised in L.A., and Harry’s time in Pasadena included a stop at the command post at the Rose Bowl, where “people were very happy to see them,” Gordo said.
“They want to be as helpful as they can be … we visited with some of the affected families in some of the burned-out areas in Pasadena and Altadena. They took the time to meet the people that are affected and spent time. They’re just very caring people who are concerned for their friends and neighbors.”
He noted that Meghan and Harry, whose Archewell Foundation has longstanding ties with World Central Kitchen and Andrés, visited the center “anonymously” earlier Friday.
“No one knew they were serving food with masks,” said the mayor.
Harry and Meghan’s appearance was not for “publicity,” Gordo said, adding that they wanted to “work.”
“We went to visit some of the families in the impacted area and view firsthand some of the impacted area and then they wanted to go visit the first responders and personally thank them for their efforts to help our families and their neighbors,” he added.
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The couple also opened up their Montecito, Calif., home to friends and loved ones who were forced to evacuate, PEOPLE previously confirmed. Their Archewell Foundation is also determining the most impactful way to help the community amid the crisis.
“In the last few days, wildfires in Southern California have raged through neighborhoods and devastated families, homes, schools, medical care centers, and so much more – affecting tens of thousands from all walks of life,” Harry and Meghan said in a statement on their official sussex.com website on Thursday, Jan. 9.
They shared information to resources such as World Central Kitchen, Airbnb and 211LA, which have teamed to help anyone displaced find free housing, plus Baby2baby and All Power Books, which are both providing supplies.
The Eaton Fire is the second largest fire that has ravaged Southern California this week. As of Friday, the blaze has burned nearly 14,000 acres and is at 3% containment. At least 5 of the 11 confirmed fatalities have been a result of this fire, which is only second to the Palisades Fire in terms of destruction. Entire communities in the Altadena area have been burned to the ground and nearby Pasadena has also been threatened.
