Meghan Markle’s mother, Doria Ragland, has flown to be by her daughter’s side in the lead up to the royal wedding.
Doria, 61, was given the royal treatment as touched down in London after an exhausting 11-hour flight from her Los Angeles home. She was whisked away to Heathrow’s VIP Windsor Suite (frequently used by members of the royal family for speedy processing through immigration) before connecting with Meghan’s personal assistant, Amy Pickerill, who organised a special convoy.
Earlier, she was photographed leaving her home to make the journey over the pond. She was carrying a Burberry garment bag, suggesting she may opt to wear the iconically British designer at the wedding.
Doria, 61, was pictured leaving her LA home (pictured here) for London.
Doria is now expected to meet with Queen Elizabeth II, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales, Camilla, and Prince William and Kate.
Her presence will undoubtedly be a comforting one for the bride-to-be as she continues to grapple with the news that her dad, Thomas Markle Sr., will no longer be attending the royal wedding.
Thomas, a former lighting director who lives in a small town in Mexico, pulled out of the important day earlier this week after it was revealed that staged paparazzi photos of himself ahead of the nuptials. Complicating matters, he had also suffered a heart attack six days earlier.
He then reportedly changed his mind a few days ago and decided he would like to attend the wedding after all, but emergency heart surgery has rendered that outcome unlikely.
He was due to walk his daughter down the aisle at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle on May 19.
Meghan and Doria are said to share a very close bond.
According to The Sun, Doria, a yoga instructor and social worker, is furious with her ex-partner over the scandal dubbed the “Markle debacle” by UK media.
A source told the publication: “Thomas and Doria are currently barely speaking to one another. He is trying to make peace after everything that has happened.”
“Their relationship had been hanging by a thread for months before the staged photo scandals.”
“He had told friends that he wanted to come with the peace gesture for an appeasement before the wedding and his daughter’s big day, but his recent actions have crushed that.”
Thomas is pictured with a newborn Meghan.
Kensington Palace have so far made no announcement as to who will walk the 36-year-old actress down the aisle as she weds Prince Harry in a Saturday ceremony at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. However, there’s speculation her mother Doria or even father-in-law-to-be, Prince Charles, may take on the important role.
The only statement released was the palace’s brief one Monday, asking for understanding: “This is a deeply personal moment for Ms. Markle in the days before her wedding,” a Kensington Palace spokesperson said then. “She and Prince Harry ask again for understanding and respect to be extended to Mr. Markle in this difficult situation.”
