Meghan Markle’s Mom, Doria Ragland, Just Spoke Out For The First Time
Even though Meghan Markle and Prince Harry aren't on great terms with the royal family at the moment, the couple is very close with Meghan's mom, Doria Ragland, who has kept a very low profile over the years as she steps in to help her daughter with her growing family. Now, she's speaking out about the challenges Meghan has faced in a new Netflix docuseries, Harry & Meghan, which dropped its first three episodes on Dec. 8.
Most of the public met Doria Ragland when she rode with Meghan to St. George's Chapel during the royal wedding proceedings, then sat opposite the Queen during the ceremony. ("Doria is saying the biggest highlight of the wedding, of course after watching her daughter say 'I do' to the man she loves, was meeting the queen," a source told Us Weekly.)
Meghan's parents split up when she two years old, and she's talked often about how her mother is her "best friend." You might remember some drama around Meghan's extended family talking to the press—but her mother has never spoken publicly about the couple until now, and she's built a tight bond with her son-in-law and grandchildren, too.
Since Doria finally telling her side of things, here are six key things to know about her.
Meghan’s mom is super down-to-earth.
In a post on Meghan's now-retired lifestyle website The Tig (named for her favorite wine), the former actress wrote the cutest tribute to Doria: "Dreadlocks. Nose ring. Yoga instructor. Social worker. Free spirit. Lover of potato chips & lemon tarts. And if the DJ cues Al Green’s soul classic 'Call Me,' just forget it. She will swivel her hips into the sweetest little dance you’ve ever seen, swaying her head and snapping her fingers to the beat like she’s been dancing since the womb. And you will smile. You won’t be able to help it. You will look at her and you will feel joy. I’m talking about my mom." (And I'm not crying; you're crying.)
Doria lived with Meghan, Harry, and Archie in California.
The couple's move to the U.S. in 2020 made it easier for Doria to become a more permanent fixture in their life, allowing the extended family to spend some QT together under the same roof. "This has been the most time she [Doria] has spent with her grandson since he was born," a source told Us Weekly. She reportedly helps Archie "get up in the morning and read to him," along with helping Meghan make Archie's "all-organic" baby food from scratch.
She has the cutest nickname for Meghan: “Flower.”
Meghan mentioned the pet name in a now-archived post on her blog. "I’m consistently asked how I keep a foot in two contrasting worlds–one in the entertainment industry, predicated on wealth and indulgence, and the other in humanitarian work. To me, it’s less of a question of how can you do this, and more a question of how can you not?" she wrote.
"'I don’t know, Flower. You were just born that way.' This is my mom’s response to the aforementioned question, and indicative of the character traits she knows me to have so well: opinionated, driven, and with a deep desire to affect change. 'It’s just who you are,' she says. (And yes, she calls me, 'Flower.')"
It kinda makes you wonder if Lilibet (a.k.a. Lili...like the flower) may be a nod to this cute little nickname.
Doria is a social worker and yoga instructor.
"My mom’s a yoga instructor, but she does social work, as well, and she works specifically with the geriatric community," Meghan told Glamour in 2017. "For me to watch this level of lifelong sensitivity to nurturing and caregiving, but at the same time, my mom has always been a free spirit."
Oh, and Doria once ran a marathon (!).
"She just ran the L.A. Marathon," Meghan said in the same 2017 interview. "We can just have so much fun together, and yet, I’ll still find so much solace in her support. That duality coexists the same way it would in a best friend." (Real talk: Is there anything Doria can't do?!)
She and Harry are close, too.
In an interview with the BBC, the Duke of Sussex said, "Her mum’s amazing!" Meghan introduced her mother to Harry early on in their relationship, and they met several times during their courtship—they even attended the 2016 Invictus Games, which Harry founded.
In the docuseries, Doria recalls her first meeting with Harry, saying that she immediately noticed how "handsome" he was, and that Harry was "really nice" with "really great manners." She knew her daughter had found The One.
Unfortunately, Doria also shares that the media attention left her feeling quite scared at times. While she never spoke to the press, they constantly sought her out.
"I felt unsafe a lot. I can't just go walk my dogs. I can't just go to work," Doria says. "There was always someone there waiting for me."
Tune in for further Doria insights on Dec. 15, when more episodes of Harry & Meghan drop.
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