Meghan Markle’s mum Doria marks huge milestone after grandchildren Archie and Lilibet’s move to the UK

Happy birthday, Doria Ragland!

Meghan Markle’s mother is turning 70 today – exactly one week after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex touched down in the UK with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, at Birmingham Airport.  

Doria is believed to have stayed in California, but we’re sure the Sussexes will have made her birthday very special, as they’re known to be very close as a family. 

Meghan typically puts in a lot of effort for birthdays, for example sharing regular messages for her children and Prince Harry on her personal Instagram account, @meghan.  

Last year, Meghan shared a rare clip with her mother to mark her 69th birthday, sharing a boomerang-style clip kissing Doria on the cheek, captioned: “Happy birthday to my beautiful mom!”

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Archie, seven, and Lili, five, have regularly been seen with their grandmother over the years, and she even has an annexe to stay in at Harry and Meghan’s Montecito home. 

Is Doria Ragland moving to the UK with Harry and Meghan?

Even though Archie and Lilibet are crossing the Atlantic, it’s expected that Doria will still play an active role in their lives despite remaining in California. 

A friend of the couple told HELLO! previously: “Doria is a big part of the kids’ lives but she has her own life in California. She will of course continue to see the family frequently.”

Doria has been a constant support for Meghan over the years, particularly after the couple moved to the US in 2020 as she lives nearby. 

Harry and Meghan, meanwhile, are back in the UK, living in a non-royal residence outside of London. 

Archie and Lilibet have been enrolled at British schools, though specific details aren’t being released due to privacy reasons. 

King Charles is understood to be looking forward to spending more time with the couple, who notably aren’t returning as working royals. 

Prince Harry and Meghan’s close bond with Doria

Meghan was born in Los Angeles on 4 August 1981 to Doria, a former makeup artist, and Thomas Markle, a television lighting director. The couple separated when Meghan was two.

Meghan is very close with Doria, who regularly made trips over to London when her daughter relocated to the UK ahead of her marriage. 

She accompanied Meghan in the car as she arrived for her wedding ceremony at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle in 2018. 

Meanwhile, Harry has openly spoken about his bond with his mother-in-law, describing the yoga instructor as “amazing” in his and Meghan’s Netflix docuseries, released in 2022.

Doria even stayed with the Sussexes at Frogmore Cottage for a month after Prince Archie was born, Harry previously revealed in his memoir, Spare. 

Back in January this year, Meghan shared a sweet video of Doria and Lilibet spending time together in their swimming pool, proving the family’s continued close bond.