Doria Ragland faces separation from her family as her daughter Meghan Markle and Prince Harry relocate to the United Kingdom with their children. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are set to move across the ocean to enroll seven-year-old Archie and five-year-old Lilibet in an English school from September.
Ragland, who turns 70 next week, has been an emotional support rock and fellow Californian for the past six years. She has remained a constant presence in the family's life since Harry and Meghan stepped down as senior working royals and relocated to the United States in 2020.
Meghan's mother currently lives in a bungalow in a wealthy residential district outside central Los Angeles, located under a two-hour drive from her daughter's Montecito mansion in Santa Barbara County. While Ragland will maintain her West Coast base where she has many friends, the hands-on grandmother is expected to make frequent visits across the Atlantic.
Ragland reportedly has a granny flat inside the couple's Montecito mansion and, according to TMZ insiders, will stay near their United States base during their returns. Her bond with the couple has remained strong despite strained relationships on both sides of the family, including Harry's estrangement from his brother, Prince William, and Meghan not being on speaking terms with her father, Thomas Markle.
Support through royal transition
Ragland's dedicated role was highlighted in Harry's memoir Spare, which revealed that she stayed with the Sussexes at Frogmore Cottage in Windsor for more than a month when her grandson Archie was born. She was also described as a rock for the couple during the difficult months when they departed as working royals and moved to California.
Observers described Ragland as an oasis of calm during the early period of Megxit, noting her stoic demeanor and unwavering loyalty towards her daughter and son-in-law. A former confidant told the Mail on Sunday: "She is like the Queen - she never complains and never explains."
The trio have also appeared together at high-profile events in California, including the Ms. Foundation Women of Vision Awards in 2023. Harry has formed an exceptionally close bond with his mother-in-law in the years since leaving the royal family, with a royal source revealing that he has grown incredibly close to Ragland, who has served as a tower of strength for the couple.
A source previously told The Sun: "Harry obviously doesn't have a mum whom he can turn to for advice, but he has always been incredibly close to Doria and never more so than now." The Duke of Sussex had previously described his future mother-in-law as "amazing" in a BBC interview celebrating his engagement to Meghan.
First meeting and royal wedding
Ragland recalled her first impressions of the prince during an interview for the couple's 2022 Netflix documentary series. "I remember when I first met him," Ragland said, describing him as "a 6'1 handsome man with red hair, really great manners. It was just really nice and they looked really happy together, like he was the one."
She added: "Once it was announced that they were together it seemed kind of like a novelty." Ragland, a social worker and yoga instructor, has generally avoided the public spotlight since attending the royal wedding at Windsor Castle in May 2018.
At the wedding, Ragland sat by herself in a chapel pew. The ceremony was not attended by Meghan's father, Thomas Markle, whom Ragland married in 1979 and divorced in 1987. She remained the only member of Meghan's side of the family to attend the service.
Family moments and Netflix appearances
Meghan has frequently offered praise for her mother, whom she describes as a "free spirit." Speaking at an Afro Women and Power Forum during a visit to Colombia, the Duchess said: "I find inspiration in the strong women around me. Of course, my mother being one of them. So much of how I approach things is less about the fight and more about how do we show up in a space and wash things over with love and kindness and generosity."
Ragland also made a brief appearance in the first season of Meghan's Netflix show, participating in a celebration brunch with members of the Duchess's inner circle. Dressed in a tan halter neck top and flowing orange trousers, Ragland arrived at the sun-soaked party as Meghan gushed: "Oh, Mommy's here!"
Admiring a spread that included champagne, mimosas, quiche, bacon, pancakes, and salad, Ragland asked: "Are the greens from the garden?" When the Duchess confirmed they were, Ragland replied: "It's lovely. Nice job!" Harry and Ragland were later seen looking on and raising a glass as Meghan thanked attendees for "loving her so much and celebrating with her."
Caring for grandchildren in Montecito
Ragland played a key role during the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022, staying at the Montecito estate to care for Archie, then three, and Lilibet, then one. The Sussexes were already in the United Kingdom for a summit in Manchester, followed by an Invictus Games event in Dusseldorf, Germany, before returning to London.
Following the Queen's death on September 8, the couple extended their stay to participate in public events, including greeting mourners outside Windsor Castle and attending the state funeral on September 19. Meghan later revealed on her Netflix series With Love, Meghan that the three-week period was the longest she had ever gone without seeing her children, leaving her feeling "not well."
While Ragland keeps a private profile, she occasionally features in family moments shared by her daughter. In May, she joined Meghan, Harry, Archie, and Lilibet on a Mother's Day trip to Disneyland in Anaheim, California, after which the Duchess shared an Instagram photograph of her mother accompanied by a red heart. In January, footage shared by Meghan also showed Ragland enjoying time with Lilibet in the family's swimming pool in the California sunshine.
