Meghan Markle shares her hopes for Princess Lilibet's future: 'I'll be the proudest mother'

Meghan and Prince Harry were active in their responses to the destructive wildfires in January 2025, immediately issuing a joint statement on their website.

At the time, they said: “In the last few days, wildfires in Southern California have raged through neighbourhoods and devastated families, homes, schools, medical care centres, and so much more — affecting tens of thousands from all walks of life.”

The couple provided practical resources and suggestions for how people could help, such as donating, opening their homes to evacuees, and checking on vulnerable neighbours.

Meghan also publicly assisted Altadena Girls, a charity that began on Instagram, supporting teenage girls who lost their homes and belongings in the Eaton Canyon Fire.

In a new interview, the Duchess of Sussex spoke to Ms Colvert, the founder of the charity.

Meghan asked: "What was the hardest part for you when leaving your home during the emergency?"

Ms Colvert said: "The thing that was so scary was there was so much unknown. Even when you came to volunteer, Meghan, I was in a state of not knowing much.

"The majority of people in LA didn’t know what was going to happen or realise the long-term effects."

The Duchess later explained: "I was so moved by the way you mobilised."

Writing in Town & Country, Meghan asked: "At my high school, it was a requirement to do volunteer work before graduation. Had you done volunteer work before this?"

Ms Colvert's mother, Lauren ­Sandidge, replied: "When we lived in Tennessee, there were a lot of floods and a lot of tornadoes…"

The 15-year-old founder of Altadena Girls quipped: "We would make donuts and bring them to firefighters."

Referencing her own daughter, Princess Lilibet, Meghan said: "You never thought your work would grow to be this big. And even if it hadn’t, it still would have been meaningful and made an impact.

"My goodness, if our daughter turns out to be anything like you, I’ll be the proudest mom. How can people continue to help you?"

Ms Colvert replied: "I’m really excited for what’s to come. When you’re a teenager, everything feels like the biggest thing in the world.

"Even if it’s not going to matter in 10 years, it really matters to you now. I always forget how much time I have, and this is only the beginning."

Meghan, 44, and Harry, 41, reside in Montecito, Santa Barbara, approximately 90 miles north of Los Angeles, although their residence was not in the immediate evacuation zone.

During the wildfires, the Sussexes offered their home as a haven for friends or neighbours forced to evacuate.

On the ground, they worked alongside relief efforts; for example, they collaborated with World Central Kitchen to deliver meals and supplies to affected communities.

The Duchess of Sussex temporarily postponed the release of her Netflix series, With Love, Meghan — originally scheduled for January — in acknowledgement of the scale of the disaster and to focus on relief efforts.

Meghan was born and raised in Los Angeles, so there is a personal connection to the area and the local community.