VF: Doria Ragland wants a ‘pied-à-terre’ in London, especially when grandkids come

Meghan Markle takes her Mum to Grenfell Cookbook launch with Prince Harry

Looking back on the past six months, I think the palace was caught flat-footed with the utter toxicity of the white Markles. The palace had never dealt with family members who weren’t merely trying to get attention, they were trying to flat-out destroy the woman marrying into the royal family. That being said, the palace knew what they were doing when it came to Meghan’s relationship with her mother, and the palace completely understood the way to “show support” for the first black woman to marry into the main royal family. They embraced her, and they were SEEN embracing her. Yes, there was a performative aspect to it, but that’s important too, especially when the British press spent months denigrating Meghan as “less than.” Plus, I think the Queen and Prince Charles both genuinely like Meghan.

Before last week, the only member of Meghan’s family who was widely accepted by the British media and royal-watchers was Doria Ragland. Doria got wildly positive reviews from her attendance at her daughter’s wedding, and people respected the fact that Doria never sold out her daughter. But when Doria attended the launch event for the Hubb Community Kitchen cookbook, apparently *some* royal-watchers and pearl-clutchers thought Doria had finally “gone too far!” I’ve already said my piece on that, and I honestly feel like… there’s just a coordinated effort to attack Meghan over every single thing. So, here’s more grist for the mill: once again, we’re hearing that Doria is likely planning to move to London, at least part time.

When Meghan Markle’s mother, Doria Ragland, turned up for the launch of her daughter’s cookbook at Kensington Palace, it was quite a moment. It is unprecedented for non-royal family members to join royals on official engagements, which made Ragland’s appearance not only a surprise, but a significant statement from Meghan and Prince Harry, a couple who have ripped up the royal rule book. While this was a one-time thing (Ragland isn’t planning to come along to future royal engagements), Meghan’s mother is very much a part of the Sussexes’ inner circle.

Sources said it was important to Meghan that her mother was there. Meghan is exceptionally close to her mother, as she is estranged from her half siblings and her father, Thomas Markle. And Prince Harry and the royal family have also forged a connection with the impressive Doria Ragland. According to a family friend, the Queen, who hosted a tea for Ragland ahead of the royal wedding at Windsor Castle, was “very impressed,” while Prince Charles and Camilla are said to like her enormously. A courtier who has met Ragland remarked, “When you meet Doria, it all falls in place. You understand why Meghan is who she is.”

While she largely lives a quiet life away from the spotlight, that may soon change; Vanity Fair has learned that Ragland is planning to spend more time in the United Kingdom. According to a source, “Doria is very close to her daughter, and she has made several secret trips to England. She has been to Meghan and Harry’s home in the Cotswolds several times and she has stayed with them at Nottingham Cottage. Meghan is very close to her mum. They speak on the phone pretty much every day and they are talking about Doria getting a place in the U.K. so that she can spend part of the year over here.”

Ragland, 62, currently lives in Los Angeles, where she works as a social worker and yoga teacher. While she is said to want to continue living in the States, she wants to spend more time in England.

“It is something they are talking about. I think the idea is that Doria will have a pied-à-terre here so that she has her own space,” said the source. “She wants the ability to be here more often, especially if grandchildren come along.”

While families of royal brides have previously been kept at arm’s length, just like the Middletons, Meghan’s mother has been welcomed into the royal fold. “The Queen knows it’s a big transition for Meghan and she wants it to be a success,” said the source. “That means making sure Meghan feels supported and happy, and including her mother.” It’s a win-win situation: by welcoming Ragland, the Palace is seen as inclusive and in touch, while Meghan indeed feels happy and supported.

[From Vanity Fair]

Once again, there’s a performative aspect to this, but the performance is actually really important. The courtiers were not fretting about Doria’s involvement at the cookbook launch – they are implicitly pro-Doria, and they’re happy that Meghan has at least one family member she can count on AND they don’t want to look racist (which is apparently not an issue for the British press). As for Doria’s plan to have an apartment in London, especially when grandchildren come into the picture… we’ve heard that before. And I think it will happen. And I’m fine with it. Here’s your periodic reminder that Carole Middleton stays at Kensington Palace Apartment 1 quite often.

Meghan Cookbook Launch

Britain's Prince Harry (L), Duke of Sussex and Doria Ragland listen to Meghan, Duchess of Sussex speaking at an event to mark the launch of a cookbook with recipes from a group of women affected by the Grenfell Tower fire at Kensington Palace in London on September 20, 2018.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red and Backgrid.

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107 Responses to “VF: Doria Ragland wants a ‘pied-à-terre’ in London, especially when grandkids come”

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  1. Enn says:

    I’m not surprised at all, given how close they are and the fact that now Meghan has the means to provide unlimited flights and a nice place for Doria (she can essentially invest all of her Suits money and never have to spend it on her own housing, car, wardrobe, etc. ever again). It’s really lovely to see their relationship and it reminds me of mine with my mom, who was also a single mother. Plus, if course Doria will want to visit her grandchildren.

    None of this has anything to do with Carole though.

    • chinoiserie says:

      Did Meghan really make much money out if Suits? It wasnt that succesfull show or one that went on forever nor her role was that huge. Its just my undertanding of the industry that you really have to hit it big to get huge money but I know in general more about film than TV.

      • Algernon says:

        Suits has been running for 7 years, is still running, has inspired a spin-off, and is syndicated all over the world. Maybe you don’t watch it, but it is a huge hit. It’s not likely Meghan got the biggest paycheck, but she was undoubtedly making a really nice living, not to mention the royalties from syndication, which again, she wouldn’t get the biggest cut but she would get a nice steady diet of returns every quarter. If she does as Enn suggests and invests it all, she could build up a sweet nest egg to pass onto her kids (as Diana left William and Harry money independent of the Firm).

        BTW I had no idea Suits was so popular but around the time of the wedding a co-worker with family in India said her relatives were really excited because they love Suits. To us, Harry married a third-tier cable starlet, but in some parts of the world, he married Grace Kelly. That might be why Meghan and Harry are so Commonwealth First, because Meghan is already popular in those countries.

      • Princessk says:

        Meghan gave Suits a huge boost once her relationship with Harry came out. Suits has made a lot of money through the Meghan association and hopefully she has been justly rewarded for it.

      • deezee says:

        I don’t think she made that much money. For a show like Suits, she was probably making the low 6 figures and Toronto is really not a cheap place to live at all. She did have some endorsement deals (like Reitmans) so that probably gave her some money but unless she made some super savvy investments, she isn’t rich enough for unlimited flights/housing.
        I think the implication of the “pied-a-terre” is that the press is worried/annoyed/implying, the British taxpayer will be footing the bill for the apartment and travel for an American.

      • Algernon says:

        @ deezee If I was paying for a royal family I would be worried about that, too. I don’t even like paying for Javanka’s security in DC, so I get the concern. I don’t think Meghan made enough to support her mom like that, but Harry has money independent of the royal family. He could foot the bill, or they could move into a larger apartment with a MIL suite.

    • ariana says:

      If anyone wants to know what MM will look like when she’s older, just look at her Mother, she’ll look exactly like her.

      • Yes she will, and Doria is a beautiful woman who is aging like a fine wine.

      • lu says:

        Doria is NOT beautiful, she looks like a bulldog chewing a wasp. Would it kill her to smile occasionally? And why do people think she and her daughter have a close relationship? We’ve seen them in public together all of 3 times. Hardly proof of closeness.

    • someone says:

      @algernon.. She wasn’t Grace Kelly in India and we Indian’s aren’t honored by being “remembered” as part of the commonwealth. Will AFrican Americans be offended if someone put a picture of a cotton gin on their plantation door? Well, thank youvery much. The british empire aka commonwealth represents slavery to us. MEgan and HArry think the veil was very clever, but I was surprised at their lack of senstivity, considering her african american ancestry. Definitely not woke.

      • Algernon says:

        I didn’t mean to conflate the two, I’m sorry. I just didn’t realize anyone knew who Meghan Markle was before she started dating Harry but a co-worker’s family overseas were already huge fans because they love the show, which I also then found out, is syndicated all over the world. I mentioned the Commonwealth because she and Harry seem to be taking the lead on that and I thought maybe it was because she was popular in places like Australia because of the syndication. My co-worker’s family is how I learned that some people already knew who she was (and my co-worker is the one who compared her to Grace Kelly, which is why that stuck, not implying she’s the Grace Kelly of India or anything), which then led to learning how widely Suits is syndicated. I apologize for mixing it all up, I certainly meant no offense.

  2. Missy says:

    Well Megan is her only child, if a grandchild comes along, I imagine Doria will want to see that child grow up and not just from afar. I don’t know what I would do without my own mother and mother in law, it’s wonderful for a child to have strong relationships with their grandparents

    • RoyalSparkle says:

      +1000

      And lest we forget, whiny and Cannot seem attached as far as all extended middletons – from sibblings to siblings marry in hangers on. And they have been using Willnot royal connection luxury perks for over 15 years on .

    • Carmen says:

      Don’t blame her a bit. I live in New York and my little grandson is in California and God, I miss him to pieces.

  3. MaryContrary says:

    I will guess that once they move into a bigger place, that when she comes to visit she will just stay with them.

  4. minx says:

    Understandable.

  5. jessamine says:

    This seems completely, happily normal me. Isn’t this pretty much what any functional family does when they have kids of their own but the grandparents are a plane trip away? Like … pull-out couch, guest room, basement suite, pied-a-terre … you scale up to fit your means but I don’t know anyone who doesn’t prioritize whatever space they can manage for their parents to comfortably visit the grandkids. Thank god for Doria.

    • lucy2 says:

      I agree.
      I know a number of people who got a little place near their kids/grandkids, or just up and moved all together to be near them.
      This doesn’t seem at all unusual to me, and I think it’s lovely. Meghan and her mom are close, and seem interested in the same sort of things, so I think Doria’s involvement is a wonderful thing.

    • lu says:

      You lost me when you said normal function family. Hahaha!

  6. Susannah says:

    Not only would it be great for Meghan, Harry and the future grandchildren but as Doria gets older I’m sure Meghan will want her mother closer to make sure she’s safe and well looked after.

  7. lobbit says:

    It’s not unprecedented for family members to attend royal engagements, though. Kate’s family attended her portrait unveiling a few years back. For an event like that and the Together cookbook, including family members makes sense to me. Both events were sort of personal, if that makes sense.

    • Princessk says:

      Exactly….l am sure that Meghan must have told her mother so much about the kitchen, the women and the book plan that she really wanted her mother to be there to see the exciting results of the project which have been enormously successful.

    • RoyalSparkle says:

      +1

      Carol pips usually at Willnot events watching over his shoulder; and usually in the background with both w/c lambridge events.

  8. Emy says:

    Doris has such a pretty face.

  9. BaBaDook says:

    “While families of royal brides have previously been kept at arm’s length, just like the Middletons”…uh, where? I’m not even remotely a royal watcher and I know far, far too much about the Middletons because they’re always there.

    • Abby says:

      I had to read that twice too, but it’s “just like the Middletons, Meghan’s mother has been welcomed into the royal fold.”

    • someone says:

      No.. They have been kept in the background. They walk behind their family member and do not appear in official photographs nor do they meet and greet.. Not a statement on whether Doria should be there or not, but her appearance is unusual. You never see the middletons walk ahead of kate and william. They are rarely in a photograph with just kate and william, as they go about doing their work.. This is unusual.

      • someone says:

        Oh and before people jump on me. I’m not saying it’s bad or good. Different situation, different dynamics, different time, different roles in family

      • MeghanNotMarkle says:

        Kate’s family was at her portrait unveiling, which was an official event. Plenty of photos. This isn’t that unusual. It’s a very personal event for a personal cause so Doria being there is fitting. It’s not like she showed up to Meghan’s event tonight or the awards reception.

      • lu says:

        Doria was presented at the book event as though she was royal, with Harry walking behind her, arriving in the official car, being introduced to people. It was all very very odd and UN royal. Then she was flown out straight after. Hardly signs of a loving relationship.

  10. Abby says:

    I don’t understand why it’s a big deal. If I was in Meghan’s shoes, this is 100% what I would want with my own mom (if she were still alive). I don’t see it as co-dependent… it makes sense to keep your family close, if they’re normal like Doria.

    Doria has her own money, Meghan has her own money. Is it something to do with taxpayer money? Why are people mad about this?

    • Tina says:

      It has been an issue when discussed before because the story was that Doria wanted to move to the UK permanently. Meghan is here on a spouse visa, she’s not a permanent resident or a citizen, and therefore she can’t sponsor her mother for a visa herself (neither can Harry). If Doria comes to the UK for fewer than 180 days at a time, it will be absolutely fine.

      • Erinn says:

        Yeah, the only issue I could see there truly being is immigration related. If she’s following the time limits, I don’t care.

      • chinoiserie says:

        Why Meghan is not a citizen? Has not her application gone through yet or is this issue with US (does US allow double citizenships for adults?). But would think British would think it really odd if one of the working royals wasn’t a citizen.

      • Bettyrose says:

        Can’t someone theoretically leave the UK for a day, say an overnight in Paris, and renew their tourist visa upon return? She can’t legally work in the UK but a constant tourist visa is an option. I mean Doria can’t because public scrutiny but one could do that theoretically.

      • Tina says:

        It takes time. Meghan will be able to apply for indefinite leave to remain (permanent residency) after 5 years, and then for citizenship after that. The last thing the royals want is to be perceived as jumping immigration queues or getting special treatment in any way. (The US does allow dual citizenship for adults).

        And @bettyrose, the immigration authorities take a very dim view of that. If anyone (let alone Doria) tried it more than once, they would likely decline to admit them.

      • Cine says:

        @tina The US does not “allow” dual citizenship, but it doesn’t do anything against it. there is a difference, especially regarding military service, or in the case of criminal actions. the naturalization oath itself requires you to renounce any allegiance to any foreign sovereignty, etc. (to my mind, it’s outdated and needs updating, but i don’t see that happening any time soon.) in the US, age has no bearing on citizenship, dual or otherwise. the only difference is how you apply for naturalization.

      • Tina says:

        @Cine, yes, you’re quite right, I was being brief and trying to reply quickly (none of the instances in which the situations differ are likely to apply to Meghan). I will also be interested to see if Meghan renounces her US citizenship down the road. As far as I am aware, Grace of Monaco, for instance, never did so.

      • Catfoodjunkie says:

        @tina — sorry – my irritating pedantic-ness. 😶. does the UK require emigrants to renounce all allegiance to foreign states? As in, does the UK itself allow dual citizenship ? Or is this a country thing (Scotland diff from Ireland, etc)?

      • Tina says:

        @Catfoodjunkie, one is required to swear (or affirm, if you aren’t a believer) an oath to the UK and to the Queen and her heirs and successors. You have to swear your loyalty to the UK (it’s the same in England, Wales, Scotland and NI) but there is nothing in there about renouncing other allegiances. The Republic of Ireland will have its own procedures, of course, but I don’t know what those are. (And yes, the UK allows dual citizenship.)

    • Eliza says:

      Ive only heard people mad about it if she gets to bypass immigration policies.

      If she’s in US most of the year this would not be the case.

    • Mel says:

      @Cine and Tina- The US does allow duel citizenship. I have duel citizenship and so do many people I know, I have two passports. Meghan probably agreed to give up her citizenship since she’s married into the Royal Family.

      • CairinaCat says:

        The US does not support dual in that if you become a citizen in about country you lose your US.
        There are country’s where you keep your original even though you become a US, because it’s lifelong you never lose it.
        But you have to give up active citizenship.

        My x parents are British, born there. When they became us citizens they had to renounce all others.
        But since they CAN NOT lose the fact they are UK citizens, they have dual. But it is not recognized by the us as being valid.

        My youngest son is dual Denmark and US. He was born here in us, I was born here and we live here.
        His dad still had Danish citizenship when he was born, so on Denmark’s side my son will always be a Danish citizen

    • lu says:

      How does Doria have money? She gave up her yoga job months ago and hasn’t worked since. Where did her money come from?

  11. Anastasia says:

    It’s such a sweet face, isn’t it? I didn’t realize it until just now, but I always smile when I see pics of her.

    Whoops, I meant for this to be in response to Emy.

  12. Gem says:

    Doria is very lovely looking isn’t she?
    In my opinion, it is nice that both duchesses are close to their mums. I see nothing wrong with Doria visiting often, or even moving to England. I see nothing wrong with her being present at the book launch. It wasn’t an ordinary “day at the office” but a special occasion where other people involved brought their families.
    You guys spent a lot of time and energy going on about Carole Middleton and Kate’s “unhealthy” relationship, and now it puts you in a position to have to justify Doria’s comings and goings by referencing “But Carole stays over all the time…” etc. Funny.

    • notasugarhere says:

      Funny you cannot tell the difference between Kate and Carole’s bizarre, co-dependent relationship where Carole is the third person in that patch-up marriage vs. a woman who led her own life away from her mother for years while they maintain a close relationship.

      • Maria says:

        Carole and Doria are totally different types of mothers. It was Carole who extracted a promise from William that he would marry Kate at some point. Mot men would run a mile.

      • Linda says:

        I do not see anything bizarre about Kate’s relationship with her mother. I think you are just projecting your feelings on them? Anyway, I love that Kate and Meghan are close to their Mama’s. I am all for Doria spending more time with Meghan in London.

      • minx says:

        Mother/daughter relationships come in all flavors. Some are closer than others. Whatever works.

      • Nikki says:

        I think Kate’s been doing a pretty fine job as a mum of three, and her birth family seems very close and loving, so I don’t see how you can be certain Kate’s relationship with her mother is toxic. For a lot of history, people were supported in tribes or villages; women weren’t meant to have to do it all alone! I think many women love having their mum nearby for support, especially in a demanding situation, which being under scrutiny 24/7 certainly is. I agree with Minx who said that relationships between a daughter and mum come in all flavors!

      • notasugarhere says:

        Maria, Doria raised a confident adult. Carole and Mike raised three permanent adolescents who cannot function away from the apron strings. I see nothing admirable in that.

    • Gem says:

      @notasugar, and you are of course the final arbiter on what constitutes a normal or “bizarre” child-parent relationship between people you have never met. I have been reading this blog for a while so I know you are unhappy when people say anything nice or even neutral about the Middletons, so I take all your comments with a big pinch of salt.

    • Civic says:

      “You guys spent a lot of time and energy going on about Carole Middleton and Kate’s “unhealthy” relationship, and now it puts you in a position to have to justify Doria’s comings and goings”

      Couldn’t have said it better myself! The royal fishbowl is very isolating and Meghan is now finding this out herself. People forget that one of the main reasons Diana & Fergie struggled was their lack of family support. Kate was only 20 when she was thrust in the public eye so it was a blessing that she had & still has a close knit family to support her, otherwise the media & pressure would have eaten her up

      • Spicecake38 says:

        I agree with much of what you’ve stated.In some ways I understand the narrative of Kate and Carole having a relationship that people may side eye,simply for the fact that Kate and her very close family have been in the spotlight for so long,therefore people get a bit tired of hearing about/seeing them all together so often.Meghan and Doria are new,and I don’t see them shoved at us quite so much.Either way,two moms who love their daughters and mean to do the best by them,no harm in that,ever.I agree that each and every mother and daughter have their own unique relationship.

    • Natalie S says:

      Doria raised an independent, successful person. All three Middleton kids were dependent on their parents for their opportunities and were careless (Celebrate, Boomf, and the way Kate approaches work including when she was at Jigsaw). There is something weird there. Kate and Pippa showed a lack of independent maturity even in their early thirties. (IDK how old James is.)

      The Middletons love each other and are a loyal, close family. That’s really clear. There’s also the lack of maturity enabled by their parents and people comment on that.

  13. girl_ninja says:

    Still don’t get how Grifter Markle pulled such a brilliant and beautiful woman like Doria.

    • Gigi La Moore says:

      What makes her a grifter? I’ll wait…

    • duchess of hazard says:

      Doria was young. One makes a lot of mistakes when they are young. She got herself sorted though!

      • Lilly says:

        FR, I had some horrible taste and older equated to wise and wonderful in my distorted thinking. Wish I could tell myself a thing or two, but live and learn. Watching the Jane Fonda documentary on HBO shows that so many of us go through that in our relationships and it’s an over-generalization to just say daddy issues. At least, Doria got an amazing daughter and she raised her so well.

    • Gigi La Moore says:

      Sorry, everyone. I read that too fast or thought I was on the DM for a second. Lol

  14. scarlett says:

    Ms. Ragland is a classy woman. From what I can see, Duchess Meghan is a lot like her.

    I’d like a pied-a-terre in London, too!

  15. Sonia says:

    Who cares?

  16. Lila says:

    IMO some gossip sites, such as the Daily Mail ,really spend too much energy trying to sabatoge Meghan and Doria.

  17. Tina says:

    As long as it really is part time and they keep visa issues above board, I’m all for it. And there are plenty of in-laws who are close to the royals – Sophie’s widowed father is beloved by the Queen and comes to Windsor Castle all the time.

  18. Maria says:

    A pied a Terre usually means a proper apt. For oneself, if she stays at KP, and if she buys or rents or own flat, fine, or Meghan can buy one for her, but if it’s at the taxpayer’s expense, then it could be a different story.

    • Gem says:

      seeing how the royals normally operate, I won’t be surprised if it *is* paid for by the taxpayers right? I don’t want to be reminded by anyone of how the Middletons this and that, I’m against that too!

      • Oliphant says:

        I’d be shocked if they were as Tone deaf as to pay for a place for Doria out of the public purse, however the whole BRF and every single member of this archaic rubbish are a bunch of disgusting spongers so who knows.

      • Gem says:

        @Oliphant, maybe they are not that tone deaf, but there might be underhand ways of doing it right because, as you say and I wholly agree, they are a bunch of disgusting spongers and it’s just how they function.

    • Digital Unicorn says:

      As a UK taxpayer I would be p!ssed if I was paying for her apt – I was pissed when we had to foot the bill for the ‘security upgrades’ to Middleton Manor worth £1mill (work included turning stables into self contained flats for RPO’s, building a multi-garage, repaving the driveway – work that added a lot of value to the property that we the tax payer won’t be getting back if they sell it), all because Katie Keen can’t function without Mummy. *rant over*

      HOWEVER I would not be surprised if Harry buys a little flat close to KP with his inheritance and/or with Meghan’s money. William is rumoured to have dipped into his inheritance to give the Middletons money to buy Bucklebury (which was bought cash down after their mortgage application found its way into the press).

      Kensington High Street is a LOVELY area and is a stone’s throw from the Royal Albert Hall, the V&A, the Science Museum and Natural History Museum, as well as having Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park on your doorstep.

      • Addie says:

        Agreed, but oh so expensive, yes? And would Doria require security? If so, who pays for it? The gist of UK comments from various papers is that people are fed up to the gills of being forced to pay for the Windsors high life vs very little value they provide. And the royals all fiddle the system, having a long history of passing on private costs to the taxpayer simply because successive mealy-mouthed governments do not demand sufficient transparency or accountability of public funds.

        You’re right to point out the taxpayer having to cough up money for Middleton Manor upgrades. There should have been an agreement in place that if the property was sold, a portion of the sale price would be returned to the Treasury.

        If Harry buys a little flat with his own money, that’s fine. It only becomes problematic if public money is used for private purposes. No-one can expect the taxpayer to accept that although the royals chance it so often, seeing what the public will tolerate. Carole has more than likely been living full-time with Kate for at least the past year or so. It would enrage the public to know who the hell they are compulsorily having to support.

  19. Wilma says:

    It should be completely normal that people want to stay close to their family. I don’t get this scrutiny at all. If you have a loving relationship with your family and your spouse gets along with them too, then why not see eachother often? We go on vacation with my husband’s parents every year and we see eachother every week. It’s wonderful to have that bond.

    • GreenQueen says:

      Right?! It’s a wonderful thing, and many people would give anything to have that! I don’t understand all the hate, it seems misogynistic and classist to me. I would be curious to hear from some well-adjusted Brits what this is about

      • Tina says:

        Well, I don’t know how well-adjusted I am, but as a Brit I’m perfectly happy with it as long as she keeps to visitor visa limits. I have a number of lovely friends who are on working or spousal visas who would love to be able to bring their parents over, but can’t. I think it’s fair to say that most Brits would hate to see the royals get any special immigration treatment.

    • Cine says:

      hey man — do whatever the heck it is that lindsay lohan does … girl seems to be allowed to stay wherever and however long she wants. what IS that about? (slightly off topic, LOL, but still a mystery)

    • Addie says:

      You can’t think of it in terms of normal family relationships. The Windsors are not private citizens. The royal family is paid by the UK taxpayer, and man, do they live large. People resent their taxes going to support a family – unelected – who can easily provide for themselves, are unaccomplished, and don’t provide value for the outlay. So whenever someone looks to be boarding the gravy train – be it Carole, Doria, Eugenie demanding her carriage ride with 1200 waving lemmings causing extra security costs – people go berserk because there are better things to spend their taxes on. The royals rarely put their hands in their own pockets, preferring to burden the taxpayer. That’s the problem. I can see how it can be framed as a race issue but it’s more that people are fed up with having to pay for the royal family and then, those adjacent.

  20. Vanessa says:

    Meghan and Harry know how some of the public feel about Meghan and Doria so if she was actually going to move to London they would make sure it on the up and up. I can see the racial charged headline now for the daily mail Doria moving on up to the royal palace from the gang filled streets of la to the royal palace Meghan and Doria have gotten so much racially abuse from the British press . Meghan is Doria only child she probably didn’t get to spend time with Meghan as much when she in Toronto because Doria was working and so was Meghan Meghan is more settled now she not working long hour on the TV set anymore so she probably wants to spend more with her only parent she has and can trust the British press can’t and won’t let the fact that Harry married a biracial woman.

  21. GreenQueen says:

    I see my nieces a minimum of twice a week, my mother might see them even more than that. We have dinner at my parents house every Sunday. AND last weekend, when both my sister and I were at a bachelorette in LA, my parents and husband went to my sister’s house and my parents brought dinner so they could all hang out – our husbands, parents and the two little girls. It made me so happy that our husbands feel comfortable around my parents and want to spend time with them. As my father says, “if you cook it, they will come”!

    I don’t understand why people expect the in-laws to not be involved just because their daughters marry into royalty. I don’t know if this is an American thing but generally when my friends have married, people spend more time with the wife’s family. Unless the husband has a particularly large and/or close family himself. It seems natural – a woman turns to her sister(s) and mother for help with her children. That’s just what we do. Isn’t that what you want for people? To have a loving home and support system, a strong and united family? It seems to me if Diana had had that kind of support, maybe things would have turned out a lot differently.

    • Algernon says:

      I think it’s traditionally been a Royal Family thing, but it seems like over the last 20 years or so the queen has relaxed quite a bit and lets the in-laws be involved a lot more than they used to be. As others have mentioned, Sophie Wessex’s father is a frequent flier with the Firm and they let Sarah Ferguson stay on the Sandringham estate so she can be near during the holidays (although I think they still have that Windsor-only rule for the proper Christmas celebrations). But not too long ago, a person married into the BRF and their whole support network was gone and replaced by the palace. Look what that kind of isolation did to Diana. I think because of that, QEII lightened up a lot. She’s let her grandkids pick their own spouses and their extended families are more visible and involved. It no longer looks like they try to isolate people within the family.

    • Erinn says:

      I think it largely depends on the personalities of the families, though. I definitely don’t even see my parents once a week and we live in the same town. Same for my husband and his family. He talks to his mom more often than I talk to my parents, probably every other day if not a quick message daily, and occasionally I find it can get to be a bit much. But I also am of the mind that in your 20’s it’s a good time to set boundaries and spread your wings when you’re living in the same area as your family. I love my family, and my husband loves his family, and we love our in-laws. I actually popped over to visit my dad on my lunch break today. But for the most part, I’ve never been super close to my parents. And that’s fine too. I love them and respect them, but we’ve never had the kind of bond that Meghan has with her mother. And that’s okay.

      On the flip-side, I know a handful of people in their 20s who still have unhealthy co-dependent relationships with their parents. A woman in another department apparently brings her daughter into the office a few times a week for lunch (which is weird because it’s a closed office with security codes and check-ins – why not just go meet somewhere for coffee) and I overheard them talking about looking through the son/brothers phone and talking about how he tells them he’s not messaging anyone and is anyway. WHO DOES THAT. These are kids in the 18-22 range – and the son has his mom and sister going through his phone and checking his messaging history. Can you imagine what you could accidentally see!? I also overheard this woman having to walk her 20something son through how to write a check over the phone…step by step… after she had previously ranted that morning about how incompetent the younger generation is (and failed to see the irony in it).

      Then there’s a friend of my husbands who’s mother I adore – but her kids never really learned how to do anything on their own. The daughter is around 32 and is very very co-dependent. She has to run everything by her mother, the son is living back home after a breakup (which is fine) but the mother still manages so much for them. She was cleaning the sons place for him at one point – and he has no illness or physical limitations that would have prevented him from doing it himself.

      Then one of my closest friends has a very close relationship with her mother – that I would call very healthy. They talk often, they visit each other, but there’s still the mother/daughter boundary happening, but on an updated adult level. The mother still ‘mothers’ her occasionally, but in an advice giving way, not a ‘do it for you’ kind of way. She’s not overbearing, my friend is very mature and responsible, and resourceful on her own because her mother set expectations of what a productive member of society is and didn’t want to have to parent her adult children – just help out when they ask.

      • Algernon says:

        The BRF has known, documented protocols about cutting out inlaws, though. That’s my point. They have historically excluded inlaws. Only with the younger generation are we seeing more acceptance of extended family.

  22. Maria says:

    Since they are rumoured to be be moving to the much larger apt now used by the Gloucesters who are to move to a smaller place, they can install Doria there. The Dowager Duchess of Gloucester lived there with her son and family until her death. So there’s your precedent.

    • notasugarhere says:

      That story has been around since before W&K demanded the enormous Apartment 1A. We have to wait and see where they end up. And no, Doria is not allowed to live in KP.

  23. Other Renee says:

    Why wouldn’t she want to live at least part time near her only child? There doesn’t appear to be any other family member Doria is close to. Or Meghan obviously. Meghan has the means to pay rent on an apartment for her. Didn’t Doria declare bankruptcy at some point? She’s obviously a hard working woman so I wonder why that happened to her.

  24. sassafras says:

    I’ve called this since the wedding. One, both Harry and William clearly value their wives’ close relationships with their mothers, since they tragically cannot have one still. I believe that they were in therapy in after Diana’s death (who knows how long) which explains their interest in mental health issues (and perhaps their acceptance of Camilla.)
    Two, (I have nothing to base this on but) I wouldn’t be surprised if the Obamas advised Harry on this, since they also had Michelle’s mom move to DC to help with the kids. It’s practical, it’s loving, and it’s a good thing for Harry/Meghan’s future child(ren) to see relatives of all races around.

  25. minxx says:

    Of course she needs her place in London. I’d do the same if Meghan were my daughter, totally.

  26. BegoneOrangeCheeto says:

    I’m a huge Doria fan. She has shown nothing but grace and class by saying nothing during this whole white Markle mess. Meghan and her mum continue to impress me – so I am firmly #TeamSussex.

  27. Nikki says:

    I laughed out loud at the words, “A couple who have ripped up the royal rule book!” for no reason other than it tickled my funny bone. I just imagined Harry and Meghan heavily tattooed, pierced, with purple hair half shaved on one side only, etc. Poor decimated royal rule book!

  28. D says:

    Thanks for being azz buckets white markles you’ve paved the way for Mum to be around we like her.