Doria Ragland Explained

Doria Ragland
Birth Date:2 September 1956
Birth Name:Doria Loyce Ragland
Birth Place:Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Education:University of Southern California (MSW)
Children:Meghan, Duchess of Sussex
Family:Ragland

Doria Loyce Ragland (born September 2, 1956)[1] is the American mother of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and the ex-wife of American retired television lighting director and director of photography Thomas Markle. Ragland holds a degree in social work and is a former makeup artist and yoga instructor.

Early life

Doria Ragland was born in Cleveland, Ohio, to nurse Jeanette Arnold (1929–2000) and her second husband Alvin Azell Ragland (1929–2011), an antiques dealer who sold items at flea markets.[2] Ragland's maternal grandparents, James and Nettie Arnold, respectively worked as a bellhop and an elevator operator at the Hotel St. Regis on Euclid Avenue in Cleveland.[3] [4] [5] Her parents moved to Los Angeles when Ragland was a baby and later divorced. In 1983, her father married kindergarten teacher Ava Burrow,[6] who is near to Ragland's age; the two remained close after that marriage also ended in divorce.[7] Ragland has two older maternal half-siblings, Joseph (known as "JJ"; 1949–2021) and Saundra Johnson (born 1952), and a younger paternal half-brother, Alvin Joffrey Ragland.[8]

Various contemporary records state that the Ragland family descend from Richard "Dick" Ragland, born into slavery c.1792 in Chatham County, North Carolina; his son, Stephen Ragland (1848-1926) of Jonesboro in Georgia, lived long enough to experience the abolition of slavery in 1865. The family's Ragland surname came from slave-owner William Ragland, a Methodist planter and land speculator who had emigrated during the eighteenth century from Cornwall, England, to North America.[9] [10] Doria's daughter Meghan Markle has claimed that a genealogy test revealed that she was 43% Nigerian.[11]

Career and education

After leaving Fairfax High School, Ragland worked as a temporary assistant makeup artist and met her future husband, Thomas Markle, while employed on the set of the television show General Hospital. Later on, their daughter Meghan spent time between the two homes as Ragland pursued a career and tertiary education.[12] Ms. Ragland worked as a travel agent and owned a small business.[13] Ragland completed a Bachelor of Arts in psychology. In 2011, she earned a Master of Social Work from the University of Southern California. After passing California's licensing exam in 2015, she was a social worker for three years at the Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services clinic in Culver City.[14] [15] [16] [17] Ragland has also worked as a yoga instructor.[18] In 2020, it was reported that she would teach a jewelry making course at Santa Monica College.[19] In the same year, Ragland became CEO, CFO and secretary of a care home firm in Beverly Hills, called Loving Kindness Senior Care Management.[20]

Personal life

Ragland married lighting director Thomas Markle on December 23, 1979, at Hollywood's Paramahansa Yogananda Self-Realization Fellowship Temple in a ceremony performed by Brother Bhaktananda.[21] [22] Their daughter, Meghan, was born in 1981. The couple separated when their daughter was two years old.[23] They divorced in 1987.[24]

Ragland resides in View Park–Windsor Hills, California,[25] [26] in a house inherited from her father in 2011. She has accompanied Meghan to public events and attended her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry in Berkshire.[27] [28] Ragland became a grandmother on May 6, 2019. She flew to the United Kingdom to see her grandson, Prince Archie of Sussex, and his parents.[29] In July, she attended Prince Archie's christening at the private chapel at Windsor Castle. Her granddaughter, Princess Lilibet of Sussex, was born on June 4, 2021, in Santa Barbara, California.[30]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: Morton, Andrew. Andrew Morton (writer). Meghan: A Hollywood Princess. April 17, 2018. Grand Central Publishing. 978-1-5387-4734-6. PT19. May 23, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180805194134/https://books.google.com/books?id=JJxCDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT19. August 5, 2018. live. mdy-all.
  2. News: Meghan Markle's family: from her diplomat uncle to cannabis-growing nephew, who will meet the royal baby boy?. Alexander. Harriet. Lockhart. Keely. May 8, 2019. The Telegraph. December 10, 2022. en-GB. https://web.archive.org/web/20221204162621/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/royal-family/2019/05/08/meghan-markles-family-tree-who-will-meet-royal-baby-boy/. December 4, 2022. mdy-all.
  3. Web site: Meghan Markle has an extraordinary connection to Ohio . Kara . Driscoll . ...While Meghan Markle is headed across the pond for the royal wedding, her roots are deeply connected to Ohio. . . May 18, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180519033030/https://www.daytondailynews.com/news/local/meghan-markle-has-bizarre-connection-ohio/oIG05itc5HXjM1tcijj4DL/ . May 19, 2018 . live . mdy-all .
  4. Book: Morton, Andrew . [{{Google books|swRPDwAAQBAJ|plainurl=yes}} Meghan: Von Hollywood in den Buckingham-Palast. Ein modernes Märchen ]. 2018 . . 978-3-641-23580-2 . Andrew Morton (writer) . May 18, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180805194134/https://books.google.com/books?id=swRPDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT20 . August 5, 2018 . live . mdy-all.
  5. News: Meghan Markle's surprising Cleveland connection: The Royal Wedding. DeMarco. Lauren. May 8, 2018. Cleveland Plain Dealer. May 21, 2018. en-US. https://web.archive.org/web/20180518185839/https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2018/05/meghan_markles_surprising_clev.html. May 18, 2018. live. mdy-all.
  6. Web site: Prince Harry's American fiancee has ties to Chattanooga . Kasey . Freeman . WRCB-TV . November 27, 2017. August 17, 2018.
  7. News: Why most of Meghan Markle's family won't make it to the royal wedding - Macleans.ca. April 13, 2018. Macleans.ca. July 19, 2018. en-US. https://web.archive.org/web/20180611013924/https://www.macleans.ca/royalty/why-most-of-meghan-markles-family-wont-make-it-to-the-royal-wedding/. June 11, 2018. live. mdy-all.
  8. Web site: Meghan: From actress to duchess . BBC News . October 15, 2018 . December 11, 2018 .
  9. Web site: Wells . J.B. . The Ragland Family Of Meghan Markle . Readkong . 12 April 2023.
  10. News: Royston . J. . Tabloid Slammed Over Meghan Markle, Kate Middleton Slavery Stories . 10 February 2024 . Newsweek . 18 April 2023.
  11. News: Crawford-Smith . James . How Meghan Markle Discovered She was 43 Percent Nigerian . 11 May 2024 . Newsweek . 11 September 2023.
  12. Web site: Harry & Meghan. .
  13. Book: Morton . A. . Meghan: A Hollywood Princess . April 12, 2018 . Michael O'Mara Books, 2018 . 978-1782439653 . Chapter 2 – Growing up Markle . June 15, 2018 . 304 pages . She (Doria) also worked as a travel agent.... . https://web.archive.org/web/20180615055511/https://books.google.com.au/books?id=cfhcDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT31&dq=Meghan++Markle+Edward+III&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjE48GAs9TbAhUJ7LwKHeB6A2kQ6AEIMzAC#v=onepage&q=Meghan%20%20Markle%20Edward%20III&f=false . June 15, 2018 . live . mdy-all .
  14. News: Doria Ragland: Meghan Markle's mother by her side on wedding day . Dewan . Angela . May 19, 2018 . CNN . May 19, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180520084507/https://www.cnn.com/2018/05/19/europe/doria-ragland-meghan-markle-mother-intl/index.html . May 20, 2018 . live . mdy-all .
  15. News: Doria Ragland: 7 Things to Know About Meghan Markle's Mother . Smithers Peckham . Tina . April 30, 2018 . Entertainment Tonight . May 21, 2018 . Yahoo News . https://web.archive.org/web/20180522041740/https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/doria-ragland-7-things-know-154128344.html . May 22, 2018 . live . mdy-all .
  16. News: Who is Doria Ragland? . Williams . Janice . Newsweek . May 19, 2018 . May 19, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180519131140/http://www.newsweek.com/meghan-markle-doria-ragland-mom-925320 . May 19, 2018 . live . mdy-all .
  17. News: Meghan Markle's mother has reportedly quit her job at a Los Angeles mental health clinic . May 15, 2018 . New York Post . May 21, 2018 . Fox News . https://web.archive.org/web/20180522041754/http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2018/05/15/meghan-markles-mother-has-reportedly-quit-her-job-at-los-angeles-mental-health-clinic.html . May 22, 2018 . live . mdy-all .
  18. Porter . Lauren . May 19, 2018 . Who Is Meghan Markle's Mom? 7 Things To Know About Doria Ragland . Essence . May 17, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180517214240/https://www.essence.com/celebrity/who-is-meghan-markle-mother-mom-doria-ragland-parents . May 17, 2018 . live . mdy-all .
  19. Web site: Meghan Markle's Mom Doria Ragland Starts New Job Teaching Jewelry Design. Us Weekly. Dory. Jackson. 28 August 2020. 30 April 2022.
  20. Web site: What We Know About Doria Ragland's New Job. Blackett. L'Oréal. September 28, 2020. Bustle. 12 September 2021.
  21. News: Did you know Meghan Markle's parents got married at an Indian temple? . Chhabra . Shivani . India Today . May 25, 2018 . May 26, 2018 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180526150433/https://www.indiatoday.in/lifestyle/celebrity/story/did-you-know-meghan-markle-s-parents-got-married-at-an-indian-temple-1241404-2018-05-25 . May 26, 2018 . mdy-all .
  22. Book: Carroll, Leslie . Notorious Royal Marriages: A Juicy Journey Through Nine Centuries of Dynasty, Destiny, and Desire . 2010 . Penguin Publishing Group . 978-1-101-15977-4 . 468 . May 19, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180805194134/https://books.google.com/books?id=TcXWrhvBc8YC&pg=PT468 . August 5, 2018 . live . mdy-all .
  23. Web site: The Truth About Meghan Markle's Dad — and the Letter She Wrote Him After the Wedding. People. Michelle. Tauber. February 6, 2019. November 12, 2021.
  24. News: Thomas Markle Snr: How Meghan Markle's reclusive father helped propel her into the spotlight . Jones . Richard . May 17, 2018 . The Telegraph . May 18, 2018 . en-GB . 0307-1235 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180518025343/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/the-filter/thomas-markle-snr-meghan-markles-reclusive-father-helped-propel/ . May 18, 2018 . dead . mdy-all .
  25. Web site: Willgress . Lydia . Boyle . Danny . Who is Meghan Markle? Everything we know about Prince Harry's girlfriend . The Daily Telegraph . London . November 8, 2016 . November 12, 2016 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20161112080658/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/10/31/who-is-meghan-markle-everything-we-know-about-the-suits-actress/ . November 12, 2016 .
  26. News: Morris . Regan . 'Meghan who?' LA shrugs over Harry's hometown girlfriend . November 28, 2017 . BBC News . September 27, 2017 . But Markle's mother lives in the View Park-Windsor Hills neighborhood, one of the wealthiest primarily African-American areas in the US. . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170930195924/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-41391607 . September 30, 2017 .
  27. Web site: Meghan Markle's mom Doria Ragland seen headed to London amid drama around Meghan's father . AOL Staff . aol.com . May 16, 2018 . May 19, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180519013949/https://www.aol.com/article/entertainment/2018/05/16/meghan-markles-mom-doria-ragland-heads-to-the-airport-amid-thomas-markle-drama/23435993/ . May 19, 2018 . live . mdy-all .
  28. Web site: What You Need to Know About Meghan Markle's Mother Doria Ragland . May 19, 2018 . Town and Country . May 19, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180519045309/https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/tradition/a16405569/meghan-markle-mother-doria-ragland/ . May 19, 2018 . live . mdy-all .
  29. News: Modernity meets tradition as Prince Harry and Meghan show first official pictures of Archie Mountbatten-Windsor's christening . July 7, 2019 . July 7, 2019 . Hannah. Furness . The Telegraph. UK.
  30. News: Foster . Max . Said-Moorhouse . Lauren . Meghan and Prince Harry welcome second child . June 6, 2021 . CNN . June 6, 2021.