The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been huge supporters of Jose Andres and his World Central Kitchen for years now. Not only do they support WCK, they’re quite friendly with Andres. When Harry and Meghan were in Pasadena this month to work with wildfire relief, they volunteered with the WCK hub providing meals to evacuees and workers. Interestingly enough, last year, Andres joined the board of Earthshot, and Prince William’s people telegraphed the fact that William pursued Andres specifically because of Andres’ closeness to the Sussexes, and William told people that Andres chose HIM, and that it was all very humiliating for Harry and Meghan. Andres has never engaged with any of that though, and he spoke to People Magazine exclusively to talk about how much he loves Harry and Meghan:
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry “show up” when it matters, regardless of the cameras or criticism they may face as a result, according to their friend José Andrés. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex — who live in Montecito, Calif., about 90 miles north of the L.A. area — have quietly aided with wildfire relief efforts as blazes tear across Southern California, donating essential supplies, connecting with affected families and serving meals with World Central Kitchen (WCK).
Andrés is “just glad that they show up like so many others,” he told PEOPLE during the Cayman Cookout at the Ritz Carlton, Grand Cayman. “I mean, listen, I consider them friends,” the WCK founder and restaurateur, 55, says of the pair, who have longstanding ties to his organization. “I know they are in the spotlight — not in America, but in Britain — and what I can tell you from what I know is that they don’t have to, but they decide to do it.”
On Jan. 10, Harry, 40, and Meghan, 43, visited the WCK location in Pasadena to help distribute food and supplies to victims of the Eaton Fire, aid that The Bazaar and Zaytinya owner called “amazing.”
“Probably, you feel like it’s better that nobody does anything, because nobody criticizes you for showing up — but the amazing thing is that they show up,” Andrés says. “The hugs I saw [them] give to the people that recognize them and even the people that don’t recognize them, it’s people that just want somebody to listen to them, and give them a hug.” Adds the chef: “I’m just glad that they show up like so many others.”
Like another one of his famous friends who assisted WCK in its fire relief efforts in the L.A. area, Jennifer Garner, Meghan and Harry were there to help, not for media attention, Andrés explains.
“The joy they bring to the people, the joy they bring to the first responders, or the people that lost everything… and to see those celebrities giving hugs and crying with the people when some of those celebrities lost their homes — they could be home, but they are there,” he tells PEOPLE. “And I think anybody that does anything, celebrity or not, only they will always forever get my applause and my recognition.” Some of the individuals assisting WCK and other relief efforts, he continues, “may be celebrities, but in those moments they are one more person willing to do absolutely anything for anybody. So, for everybody that was able to show up even for an hour, for me, they’re amazing people, because they don’t have to because some of them, they are suffering the consequences, maybe, of the fire,” he says. “But there they are and they don’t do it where there are cameras, they’re doing it where there is nobody. And that makes it very special.”
“Probably, you feel like it’s better that nobody does anything, because nobody criticizes you for showing up” – I feel like this is the crux of it, really. The people who think Harry and Meghan are “disaster tourists” or that they’re just volunteering to get attention really just want H&M to go into hiding. They can’t believe that H&M still show up, even after they are nitpicked and bullied over every little thing. Anyway, Jose sounds like such a good friend. I wonder if we’re going to hear something about William demanding that Andres “choose sides.”
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Andres’ IG. Screencaps from a Fox affiliate and Sky News.
