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

Plus, details on how they met

By Alexandra Hough

•

Published May 29, 2024

Additional reporting by

Nakeisha Campbell

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There’s no denying that Prince Harry’s family is one of the most famous in the world. In fact, his parents, Princess Diana and Prince Charles, are practically the most well-known couple in the history of the British royal family.

If you’re anything like me, you find yourself less well-versed when it comes to Meghan Markle’s parents, Doria Ragland and Thomas Markle Sr. Sure, I saw her mom attend the royal wedding, but beyond that—I realized I didn’t know much about the Duchess of Sussex’s mom and dad.

Naturally, I did a deep dive. Keep reading for everything I found out.

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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

2. Who Is Markle’s Father, Thomas Markle Sr.?

Markle’s father is a retired television lighting director. He was born to Doris May Rita and Gordon Arnold Markle in Newport, Pennsylvania, but then he moved to California to work in the television industry. Markle told Esquire, “Every day after school for 10 years, I was on the set of Married ... with Children. There were a lot of times my dad would say, ‘Meg, why don't you go and help with the craft services room over there? This is just a little off-color for your 11-year-old eyes.’”

Meghan’s dad was the one who inspired her to get into acting.
He worked on the TV shows General Hospital and Married… with Children.
For his work on General Hospital, he won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Design Excellence (1982) and one for Outstanding Achievement in Lighting Direction (2011).
He worked on the lighting for the 1984 Summer Olympics.
Before he met Ragland, Markle married a secretary named Roslyn Loveless in 1964. They welcomed two children (Yvonne Marie Markle [now Samantha Grant] and Thomas Wayne Markle Jr.) before divorcing in 1975.
He tied the knot with Ragland in 1979 and welcomed their daughter, Meghan, but they later divorced.
Currently, Markle’s father resides in Rosarito, Mexico.

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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.

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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).

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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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Alexandra Hough

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