Junior Rasmussen
Doria Ragland, the mother of Meghan Markle, was the only member of Meghan's family to attend her wedding to Prince Harry. Doria, a yoga instructor and social worker, had flown to England a few days before the wedding to meet with members of the royal family, including Prince Charles, Camilla, and Queen Elizabeth II. Doria's parents, Jeanette Arnold and Alvin Azell Ragland, moved to Los Angeles when she was a baby, and she has two older maternal half-siblings, Joseph and Saundra Johnson, and a younger paternal half-brother, Alvin Joffrey Ragland. It is not clear whether any of Doria's family members attended the wedding.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Doria Ragland's daughter | Meghan Markle |
| Meghan Markle's mother | Doria Ragland |
| Doria Ragland's husband | Thomas Markle Sr. |
| Doria Ragland's marital status | Divorced |
| Doria Ragland's profession | Social worker, yoga instructor, makeup artist |
| Doria Ragland's attendance at Meghan Markle's wedding | Yes |
| Other family members' attendance at Meghan Markle's wedding | No |
| Doria Ragland's seat at the wedding | Second row, opposite Queen Elizabeth II |
| Doria Ragland's attire at the wedding | Pastel green Oscar de la Renta dress and coat |
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What You'll Learn
Doria Ragland was Meghan Markle's only family member at the wedding
Doria Ragland was Meghan Markle's only family member at her wedding to Prince Harry at St. George's Chapel in Windsor. Markle's mother was by her side in the days leading up to the wedding, accompanying her to Cliveden House hotel on the Friday before the ceremony. Ragland also met several members of the British royal family in the lead-up to the wedding, including Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla, and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their two older children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte.
Ragland sat alone in the second row of one of the side pews during the ceremony, opposite Queen Elizabeth II, who sat beside her husband, Prince Philip. Markle's father, Thomas Markle Sr., did not attend the wedding. Markle and her father were reported to still be on good terms, and she told Vanity Fair the previous year that they continued to take vacations together as a family long after her parents' divorce. However, it was announced that he was unable to attend the wedding due to health reasons and controversy over whether he staged paparazzi-style photographs.
Ragland wore a pastel green Oscar de la Renta dress and coat, designed by creative directors Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia, to her daughter's wedding. Cameras captured her as she was overcome with emotion throughout the ceremony, particularly when Markle and Harry exchanged their vows. On social media, people commended Markle's mother for attending and sitting at the wedding alone.
Markle has spoken publicly about her close relationship with her mother, describing her as a "free spirit" and someone she can rely on. She has also written about her mother and their bond several times, including in a 2014 Tig post called "Love Letter". Ragland has not spent much time talking to the media, so details about her life have primarily come from her daughter.
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Doria Ragland's family history
Doria Loyce Ragland, born in September 1956, is an American yoga instructor, social worker, and psychotherapist. She is the mother of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, who married Prince Harry on May 19, 2018, thus becoming a member of the British royal family.
Doria Ragland's family originates from Cleveland, Ohio. The Ragland name has its roots in England, derived from the Old Norse personal name "Ragni," meaning "counsel" or "advice," combined with the Old English word "land," meaning "land" or "territory." The name likely first appeared in regions of England with strong Norse influence, such as Yorkshire.
According to oral history, the first identifiable African American Ragland ancestor was Richard Ragland, born in Jonesboro, Georgia, in 1830. He lived to see the formal abolition of slavery in 1865.
Doria Ragland's parents were Alvin Ragland and Jeanette Forshey (born Jeanette Johnson c. 1929). Jeanette was born near Cleveland, Ohio, and later married and divorced Thomas Markle, Meghan's father. Despite their divorce, Meghan has stated that her parents remained on good terms and continued to vacation together as a family.
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Doria Ragland's life in Los Angeles
Doria Ragland, the mother of Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, has lived in Los Angeles for most of her life. Ragland was born in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1956, and her family moved to Los Angeles when she was a baby. She later married Thomas Markle, whom she met in the late '70s, and they had a daughter, Meghan, in 1981. The family lived in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles, but Ragland and Markle split when Meghan was young.
Ragland has had a varied career, working as a makeup artist, a travel agent, and a small business owner. She later went on to pursue higher education, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and a Master of Social Work from the University of Southern California. She then worked as a social worker for three years at the Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services Clinic in Culver City. In addition to her career in social work, Ragland is also a yoga instructor in the Windsor Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles. She has even joined her daughter Meghan in yoga classes, including one with Oprah Winfrey ahead of the royal wedding in 2018.
Ragland has remained close to her daughter throughout her life, accompanying her to public events and supporting her during milestone moments. She was by Meghan's side at her wedding to Prince Harry in 2018 and has since become a hands-on grandmother to her grandchildren, Archie and Lilibet. Ragland currently resides in View Park–Windsor Hills, California, in a house she inherited from her father in 2011. She lives not far from her daughter Meghan and Prince Harry's Montecito home, allowing her to be closer than ever to her family.
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Doria Ragland's relationship with her daughter Meghan Markle
Doria Ragland is the mother of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and the ex-wife of American retired television lighting director and director of photography Thomas Markle Sr. Ragland was born in Cleveland, Ohio, on September 2, 1956, and moved to California, where she met Markle in the late '70s. The couple wed in 1979 and welcomed Meghan in 1981. They moved to the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles, but separated when Meghan was just two years old, divorcing in 1987.
Meghan and her mother have a strong bond and a one-of-a-kind relationship. Ragland has been by her daughter's side through her career as an actress, her marriage to Prince Harry, and the birth of her children, Archie and Lilibet. Meghan has spoken publicly about her close relationship with her mother, describing her as a "free spirit" and someone she can rely on. She has also written and spoken extensively about her racial identity and how her African-American mother dealt with racism. Ragland has also expressed her regret for not explicitly preparing her daughter for the racial prejudices she would face.
Ragland has accompanied Meghan to public events, including the closing ceremony of the Invictus Games in Toronto in 2017, and the 20th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference of Women in Beijing in 2015. In the lead-up to Meghan's wedding in 2018, Ragland met several members of the British royal family, including Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla, and Harry's brother and sister-in-law, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Ragland was the only member of Meghan's family to attend the wedding, and she sat alone in the second row, opposite the Queen.
After the wedding, Ragland returned to California, where she resides in View Park–Windsor Hills. Now that Meghan and her family have moved back to the United States, Ragland is closer than ever to her daughter and grandchildren.
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Doria Ragland's experience of the royal wedding week
The royal wedding of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry was a grand affair, and the bride's mother, Doria Ragland, played a pivotal role in the festivities. As the only member of Meghan's immediate family in attendance, Doria's experience of the royal wedding week was both memorable and unique.
Doria, a yoga instructor and social worker from Los Angeles, flew to England a few days before the wedding to be by her daughter's side and immerse herself in the royal milieu. She stayed overnight at Kensington Palace, the home of Meghan and Harry, and even joined her daughter at the hotel where Meghan spent her last night as a single woman.
Doria's royal wedding week was a whirlwind of prestigious encounters and emotional moments. She met several members of the British royal family, including Prince Charles and his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, at Clarence House in London. They shared tea, offering a glimpse into the traditions of royalty. Doria also had the opportunity to meet Harry's brother, the Duke of Cambridge, and his sister-in-law, the Duchess of Cambridge, during wedding rehearsals in Windsor.
One of the most memorable moments for Doria was her encounter with Queen Elizabeth II. She had tea with the Queen at Windsor Castle, an experience that reportedly left a lasting impression. Doria sat in the second row at St. George's Chapel, opposite the Queen, during the royal wedding ceremony. Cameras captured her emotions as she watched her daughter exchange vows with Prince Harry.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Doria Ragland was present at her daughter Meghan Markle's wedding to Prince Harry.
No, Doria Ragland was the only member of Meghan Markle's family present at the wedding.
Doria Ragland wore a pastel green Oscar de la Renta dress and coat, designed by Laura Kim and Fernando Garcia.
