One of the many lessons I learned from my father was, "When you marry someone, you marry their family." That's what Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are currently dealing with. After backing out of the spotlight and giving up their senior royal duties, the pair have decided to live part-time in Canada. While travel will happen, it's very far from Buckingham Palace.
While they were visiting Canada over the holiday break, they met with Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland. She was able to spend some time with the couple and baby Archie, and Prince Harry's appreciation of Doria reportedly grew.
As you know, Prince Harry lost his mother, Princess Diana, very tragically while he was young. One of the reasons for her untimely demise was trying to escape invasive paparazzi. But it was something Diana couldn't escape. She lost her life in a car accident while trying to dodge the media. Prince Harry couldn't help but see that the media was giving his wife the same negative attention. "I lost my mother and now I watch my wife falling victim to the same powerful forces," he said.
While Princess Diana probably still influences him today, it's sweet that Doria is there to give him the motherly advice he's likely looking for.
The Sun reports that both Harry and Meghan have been depending on Doria's "calmness" over the situation, which makes sense. Harry's family is strict with royal protocol, and sometimes a trustworthy "outsider" is a good thing to have to help them weigh their options. While Harry's family loves him, they might not be as supportive.
After the announcement was made, without the approval of Queen Elizabeth II, people were wondering what the Queen's reaction would be. "My family and I are entirely supportive of Harry and Meghan’s desire to create a new life as a young family," her statement said. "Although we would have preferred them to remain full-time working Members of the Royal Family, we respect and understand their wish to live a more independent life as a family while remaining a valued part of my family."
However, the couple was stripped of many of their privileges. They're giving up their royal titles and their state funding. Nobody knows just yet what'll happen to their Sussex Royal brand. Since they have an Instagram and a website by that name, it'll be interesting to see if they're still allowed to use it.
Doria Ragland lives a completely different life than Queen Elizabeth II. She used to work as a makeup artist on the show General Hospital, which is how she met Meghan's father, Thomas Markle. He was working as a lighting director on the show.
The two were married in 1979 and welcomed Meghan — officially named Rachel Meghan Markle — in 1981. Thomas and Doria divorced in 1988, when Meghan was still a child. Doria never remarried, and she has been nothing but supportive of Meghan. Meghan's father, on the other hand, seems quick to throw Meghan under the bus at every turn.
In a recent interview, Thomas was quick to sell Meghan out. "She actually got every girl's dream,'' he said to Britain's Channel 5, according to Today. "Every young girl wanted to become a princess, and she got that, and now she's tossing that away for — it looks like she's tossing it away for money … Apparently $3 million and a 26-bedroom home isn't enough for them."
Even worse, Thomas — who did not attend Meghan and Harry's wedding in 2018 — feels like he's "owed." "The royals owe me, Harry owes me, Meghan owes me. What I've been through I should be rewarded for," he said. He's not acting in any way supportive of his own daughter. That's yet another reason why Doria is so important.
Thomas seems to be throwing salt in the wound. After it was found out that he created fake paparazzi photos, people started questioning his motives. He, himself, has admitted that his relationship with Meghan and Harry isn't in good shape, hinting that it probably won't be able to be repaired.
"The last time they might see me is being lowered into the ground,'' he said. "I don't think at this point they're thrilled to see me or want to talk to me." Even though the two of them will be closer to Thomas distance-wise based on their new plan, his feelings on the matter are probably accurate.
According to the Sun, Doria has advised Meghan and Harry to think every decision through. That said, she reportedly told them that she'd support any choice they decided to make. Both Meghan and Harry are grown adults, so they probably knew that either decision held a certain amount of uncertainty.
"He 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," a source told the Sun. "Harry has a huge amount of respect for her and for her judgment which is why he and Meghan have both spoken to her throughout about what they planned to do."
Doria is also much more sincere than Thomas. "Doria is the polar opposite to her ex-husband," the source continued. "She’s been the epitome of calmness throughout and both Meghan and Harry trust her and her judgement 100 per cent." That being said, it's interesting to think about what Meghan's childhood was like when the two were together.
It seems as if Doria and Harry also have one goal in common — Meghan's happiness. "Like any mother, Doria just wants her daughter to be happy," the source continued. "And that’s Harry’s number one priority too which Doria can see. That's why his relationship with his mother in law has never been stronger."
Having Doria and Harry get along so well is probably such a relief for Meghan. No matter what, she needs to know that a lot of people love her. She knows what's best for her and her family, and she and Harry are making history by putting their family's safety above everything else.
