Who Are Meghan Markle's Parents? Everything You Need to Know About Doria Ragland & Thomas Markle Sr.

1. Who Is Meghan's Mother, Doria Ragland?

Ragland is a social worker, as well as a former makeup artist and yoga instructor. Born in 1956 in Cleveland, Ohio, she was raised in Los Angeles with her mom Jeanette Arnold and dad Alvin Ragland. Markle previously told Glamour, "My mom has always been a free spirit. She's got dreadlocks and a nose ring. She just ran the L.A. Marathon. We can just have so much fun together."

• She has two older half-siblings, including Saundra Johnson and Joseph (who passed in 2021), and a younger half-brother, Alvin Joffrey Ragland.
• She graduated from the University of Southern California with a master's degree in social work.
• She completed a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology.
• She worked as a makeup artist on the set of General Hospital.
• She was the CEO, CFO and secretary of Loving Kindness Senior Care Management, a care home firm in Beverly Hills.
• She previously worked as a travel agent and launched a small business.
• She currently resides in View Park–Windsor Hills, California

3. How Did They Meet?

The couple met in L.A., while working on a TV series. (How Hollywood.)

“My dad was a lighting director for a soap opera and my mom was a temp at the studio," the duchess wrote in a 2015 essay for Elle. “I like to think he was drawn to her sweet eyes and her Afro, plus their shared love of antiques.”

They tied the knot in 1979 and welcomed their daughter Meghan in 1981. However, the marriage ended in divorce when the duchess was just 6 years old. Following the split, Meghan lived full-time with her mother.

4. How Many Kids Do They Have?

The 40-year-old mother of two is the only child shared by Ragland and Markle. However, as previously mentioned, Meghan has two older half-siblings through her father’s side (Thomas Markle Jr. and Samantha Grant).

5. Are They Close to Meghan?

While Meghan’s relationship with her father is strained, she remains incredibly close to her mother.

In fact, in January 2024, it was reported that Ragland temporarily took up residence in the Sussexes’ guesthouse in Montecito to avoid the long commutes from her home. (No word on how often she stays at the guesthouse.) However, since Meghan now has two grandchildren, we’re sure she’s spending plenty of time with both of them.

Ragland also has a sweet nickname for her daughter. While we tend to call her the duchess or Meg, her mother, on the other hand, calls her “Flower.” In an interview with Best Health Magazine, the duchess revealed the unique moniker, saying, “I was very resistant [to yoga] as a kid, but she said, ‘Flower, you will find your practice—just give it time.’”

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