Prince Harry Fulfills Elderly Man's Doughnut Request amid Wildfire Relief Efforts: 'I Will Find One'
The Duke of Sussex found a way to help an elderly man with a special request as he volunteered alongside the Duchess of Sussex in wildfire relief efforts
Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty
Prince Harry, left, with mayor of Pasadena Victor Gordo, right, in Altadena on Friday, January 10, 2025Prince Harry fulfilled an elderly man's special request at an emergency evacuation center in California amid the series of wildfires devastating the Los Angeles area.
On Jan. 10, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle went incognito for a visit to Pasadena Convention Center to help with the relief effort following the Eaton Fire (one of three wildfires still burning in L.A.), where they served food, delivered supplies and met with people affected. According to Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo, who spent time with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex there, Harry hopped into action when an elderly man asked for a doughnut.
Gordo told the Pasadena Star-News that he saw Prince Harry, 40, sitting with a bedridden, elderly man and approached with a food cart, prompting Harry to ask the man if he wanted a sandwich, tangerine or water.
"The gentleman said, 'What I’d really like is a donut,' " Gordo told the outlet, and cited Prince Harry as replying, "'There’s no doughnut here, but I will find one.' "
Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty
Prince Harry and Victor Gordo, mayor of Pasadena, visit a home that was destroyed in Altadena on Jan. 10, 2025."He takes off, and 10 minutes later, he returns with a doughnut. The gentleman looks up and says, ‘I guess I need my carbs and my sugar.' That gentleman tonight is at the convention center and does not know it was Prince Harry who brought him that doughnut," the mayor said.
Gordo shared that the man turned to Harry and said, "If you ever run for anything, I'll vote for you."
Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty
Prince Harry, left, with mayor of Pasadena Victor Gordo, center, in Altadena on Friday, January 10, 2025The Duke and Duchess of Sussex discreetly supported wildfire relief efforts while in the Pasadena area on Jan. 10, where they heard harrowing stories and experienced the strong community spirit firsthand. The couple donated essential supplies, served meals with World Central Kitchen (a longtime partner of their charitable Archewell Foundation) and connected with affected families and elderly individuals.
They also thanked first responders, including L.A. County firefighters and police, alongside Jennifer Siebel Newsom, California's First Partner and Mayor Gordo. Harry and Meghan also met with chef José Andrés, the founder of World Central Kitchen (a charitable partner of Archewell) to praise relief teams. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex greeted Andrés with hugs in a video shared by FOX 11 Los Angeles, where the couple wore casual clothes and baseball caps.
Harry and Meghan have also contributed monetary donations through their Archwell Foundation, and plan to continue supporting the recovery and rebuilding mission with future visits.
"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 FOX about what it was like to have Prince Harry and Meghan show support. "It’s very important. They really buoyed the spirits of the first responders."
On Jan. 12, three days out from the scheduled premiere of her new series With Love, Meghan on Netflix, Meghan announced that she was postponing the show's debut from Jan. 15 to March 4 due to the devastating wildfires. An industry insider tells PEOPLE that the decision was an "easy one" for the Duchess of Sussex, driven by her concern for her hometown and those impacted by the blazes.
"Delaying the release of With Love, Meghan was likely an easy decision for her. I don’t think she could imagine putting out a show centered on joy and hosting when so many people in her home state no longer have homes to host people in," the insider tells PEOPLE. "I think it’s sad that critics are saying she’s only doing this to avoid the fires overshadowing her show. We’re all human, and we’re dealing with a catastrophe."
Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty
Meghan Markle in Altadena on Jan. 10, 2025.Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!
Prince Harry and Meghan, 43, have lived in California since 2020 and reside with their children,Prince Archie, 5 and Princess Lilibet, 3, further north in Montecito, which is about 90 miles from the Los Angeles area. The Duchess of Sussex was born and raised in L.A., and her upcoming show, filmed in Montecito, pays tribute to the beauty of Southern California.
PEOPLE previously confirmed that Meghan and Prince Harry opened their own home to friends and loved ones forced to evacuate. According to Cal Fire, the Palisades Fire, Eaton Fire and Hurst Fire were still burning as of Jan. 13. The Eaton Fire, near where the Duke and Duchess of Sussex visited, is 33% contained.
David McNew/Getty
An aerial view of a neighborhood devastated by the Eaton Fire in Altadena, Jan. 12, 2025.Fast-growing wildfires throughout Los Angeles, exacerbated by severe winds and fed by dry vegetation, started last week on Jan. 7 and sent thousands evacuating for safety. The L.A. County Medical Examiner estimated on Jan. 12 that there have been at least 24 fatalities.
Click here to learn more about how to help the victims of the L.A. fires.
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