Meghan Markle is known for being close to her mom, Doria Ragland. Though she reportedly has a strained relationship with her husband, Prince Harry’s family, her mother has always been on her side.
So, here’s what to know about Ragland and her relationship with Meghan Markle.
Meet Doria Ragland
The former actress’ mom has kept her profile low over the years—often on the sidelines, silently supporting her daughter.
The public only saw her during her child’s royal wedding in 2018, riding with Meghan to St. George’s Chapel and sitting opposite the late Queen Elizabeth during the ceremony.
The Suits star’s parents parted ways when she was only two years old, and she often referred to her mom as her “best friend.”
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Born September 2, 1956, Ragland moved to California when she met Meghan’s dad, Thomas Markle, in the late 1970s. After their wedding, they welcomed their child in 1981 and moved to the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles.
Though the couple had called it quits when Meghan was young, Ragland has stayed in California and lives near Meghan and Prince Harry’s home in Montecito.
How Did Doria Ragland Raise Meghan Markle?
Despite Meghan’s alleged strange relationship with her dad, she credits him and her mom’s influence for her philanthropic instincts.
"Both my parents came from little, so they made a choice to give a lot," she wrote on her now-defunct lifestyle blog, The Tig, via Town and Country Mag.
She continued that they would usually buy turkeys for homeless shelters at Thanksgiving, deliver meals to patients in hospice care, and give any spare change they have to show asking for it. They would also perform quiet acts of grace, whether it’s a hug, a smile, or a pat on the back, to show anyone who needed it that it would be okay.
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The Duchess of Sussex added that her upbringing inspired her advocacy work.
"This is what I grew up seeing, so that is what I grew up being," she said. “A young adult with a social consciousness to do what I could, and to, at the very least, speak up when I knew something was wrong."
Doria Ragland is Close to Prince Harry, Too!
Aside from Meghan, Ragland has also maintained a close relationship with her son-in-law, Prince Harry.
In an interview with BBC, via Women’s Health, the Duke of Sussex praised his wife’s mother for being “amazing.”
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Meghan introduced her mom to her husband early on in their relationship. They had already met several times during their courtship and even attended the 2016 Invictus Games.
In the docuseries Harry & Meghan, Ragland talked about his first meeting with Prince Harry. She said she immediately noticed his handsomeness and how nice he was, with really great manners, thinking Meghan had already found “The One” in him.
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