Doria Ragland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Doria Ragland
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Ragland (right) in May 2018, with daughter Meghan Markle
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| Born |
Doria Loyce Ragland
September 2, 1956 Cleveland, Ohio
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| Education | University of Southern California (MSW) |
| Occupation |
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| Spouse(s) |
Thomas Markle Sr.
(m. 1979; div. 1987) |
| Children | Meghan, Duchess of Sussex |
| Family | Ragland |
Doria Loyce Ragland (born September 2, 1956) is an American social worker. She is well-known as the mother of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. Meghan is married to Prince Harry, a member of the British royal family. Doria Ragland was previously married to Thomas Markle Sr., who worked in television.
Early Life and Family
Doria Ragland was born in Cleveland, Ohio. Her mother, Jeanette Arnold, was a nurse, and her father, Alvin Azell Ragland, sold antiques. Her parents moved to Los Angeles when she was a baby. They later divorced.
Doria has two older half-sisters from her mother's side: Joseph and Saundra Johnson. She also has a younger half-brother, Alvin Joffrey Ragland, from her father's side.
Her family history includes ancestors who were enslaved. The Ragland family name came from a slave-owner named William Ragland. He moved from Cornwall, England to North America in the 1700s. Doria's daughter, Meghan Markle, has shared that a DNA test showed she is 43% Nigerian.
Education and Career
After finishing Fairfax High School, Doria Ragland worked as a temporary makeup artist. She worked on the TV show General Hospital. There, she met her future husband, Thomas Markle Sr.
She also worked as a travel agent and owned a small business. After her divorce, Doria went back to school. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology. In 2011, she received a Master of Social Work (MSW) from the University of Southern California.
After getting her license in 2015, she worked as a social worker for three years. She helped people at the Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services Clinic in Culver City. Doria Ragland has also taught yoga. In 2020, she reportedly began teaching a jewelry making course at Santa Monica College. That same year, she became the CEO, CFO, and secretary of a care home company in Beverly Hills. The company is called Loving Kindness Senior Care Management.
Personal Life and Family
Doria Ragland married lighting director Thomas Markle on December 23, 1979. Their wedding took place in Hollywood. Their daughter, Meghan, was born in 1981. Doria and Thomas separated when Meghan was two years old. They divorced in 1987.
Doria Ragland lives in View Park–Windsor Hills, California. She lives in a house she inherited from her father in 2011. She has attended many public events with her daughter Meghan. She was also at Meghan's 2018 wedding to Prince Harry in England.
Doria became a grandmother on May 6, 2019. She traveled to the United Kingdom to meet her grandson, Prince Archie of Sussex. In July 2019, she attended Prince Archie's christening at Windsor Castle. Her granddaughter, Princess Lilibet of Sussex, was born on June 4, 2021, in Santa Barbara, California.
