Meghan and Doria© Getty

Meghan Markle's incredible love letter to mom Doria for Mother's Day

The Duchess of Sussex penned the sweetest tribute to her mother

Senior Online Writer
May 14, 2023

Meghan Markle is a devoted mother-of-two, and will no doubt be spending some quality time with her children Archie, four, and Lilibet, one, on Mother's Day. 

She's sure to also take time to pay tribute to her much-loved mom Doria Ragland, with whom she is very close. Back in 2014, the former actress penned an incredible message about Doria in honour of Mother's Day, and it's beautiful. 

WATCH: Meghan Markle and Doria Ragland revisit childhood home

Publishing her heartfelt words on her former blog The Tig, Meghan wrote: "Dreadlocks. Nose ring. Yoga instructor. Social worker. Free spirit. Lover of potato chips & lemon tarts. And if the DJ cues Al Green's soul classic "Call Me," just forget it.

Meghan and Doria at the royal wedding © Getty
Meghan and Doria at the former actress' wedding to Prince Harry

 "She will swivel her hips into the sweetest little dance you've ever seen, swaying her head and snapping her fingers to the be like she's been dancing since the womb. 

"And you will smile. You won't be able to help it. You will look at her and you will feel joy. I'm talking about my mom." 

© Getty
Doria and Meghan with Prince Harry

The star went on: "As a kid, you don't really get it. You don't get that your parents are real people. There are just your parents. She was just my mom. 

© Getty
Doria with her in-laws, King Charles and Queen Camilla

"The one who made me sip a Carnation instant breakfast drink in the car on my way to Little Red School House because despite my not wanting to start my day with a meal, she said I had to something in my system. And how annoying I found that. 

© Getty Images
The social worker visiting Meghan during her time in the UK

"Because, again, I didn't get it. But now, oh but now… I'm a grown woman. And I get it. Get all of it. The curfews that were prefaced with 'want you home by that time, Flower, not because I'm worried about what you'll do, but because I'm worried about what everyone else out there is up to.'

© Getty Images
The pair are very close

"The jogs together in our neighbourhood, and bike rides to the La Brea Tar Pits after school. Time spent in the kitchen, helping her prep dinner, carefully tossing fresh herbs into the salad, and knowing when the shrimp in the gumbo was juuuuust right. 

"The trips to Oaxaca, Mexico well before tourists flocked there to learn how to cook mole. 

© Getty Images
Meghan is such a talented writer

"In the afternoon sitting with my grandma. Both of my grandmas. My mom rubbing their feet to help with circulation, brushing the hair so gently when they couldn't do it on their own. 

"Kissing them goodbye, and cradling their faces with such tenderness at each visit that their eyes sparkled with tears. I didn't get it then. But I get it now. She was keeping me safe." 

© Netflix
Doria appeared in the couple's Netflix series

Doria and Meghan's father, Thomas Markle, split up when she was young and the Duchess mostly lived with her mom in Los Angeles. Doria is now a doting grandmother, as a brief moment in the couple's Netflix documentary series showed. 

The Sussexes shared a snap of the proud grandma cradling a baby Archie which showed the young Prince, who was likely no more than a few days old in the photograph, fast asleep in his grandmother's arms as she cradled him in a muslin cloth.

© Netflix
Grandmother Doria cradled her grandson just days after his birth

Make sure you never miss a royal story! Sign up to The Royal Explainer newsletter to receive your weekly dose of royal features and other exclusive content straight to your inbox.

More Royalty

See more