Meghan Markle’s mother Doria Ragland spends lonely Christmas Day leafing through her mail at home in Los Angeles after turning down rare non-royal invite from the Queen to join the Royal Family’s festivities
- The 62-year-old spent day in California sun rather than jetting to chilly London
- Reportedly received rare non-royal invite from the Queen but turned it down
- She was asked to come because Queen was impressed by her at wedding in May
Meghan Markle’s mother was spotted checking her mail on Christmas day after reportedly declining to spend the holiday with the Royal Family.
Doria Ragland leafed through a large bundle of envelopes as she made her way up her Los Angeles driveway after turning down a rare non-royal invitation from the Queen.
The 62-year-old opted to spend the day in the California sun rather than jet to chilly London during Meghan’s first festive season in the family.
But it won’t be long before she’s reunited with her daughter as it’s believed Harry and Meghan departed from Norfolk tonight to fly out and spend time with her in the US.
Meghan Markle’s mother Doria Ragland checks her mail on Christmas day at home in Los Angeles
The 62-year-old flicks through a large bundle of envelopes as she makes her way up her drivewat
Ragland stepped out to pick up the mail on Tuesday causally dressed in a white top, black cardigan, sand chinos and red sports trainers.
Speaking to Vanity Fair, a royal source said the invitation to Sandringham was offered partly because the Queen was so ‘impressed’ by Ms Ragland at the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex at Windsor Castle in May.
An invitation for Doria would break with royal precedent as even the Middleton family has not been invited to stay at the Norfolk estate.
She opted to spend the day in the California sun rather than jet to chilly London to spend Christmas with the Royal Family
The Duchess of Cambridge’s family has joined the royals at church on Christmas morning but they have stayed at nearby Anmer Hall rather than Sandringham itself.
While other spouses that have married into the family don’t usually have the privilege of relatives joining in the Norfolk-based celebrations, pregnant Markle doesn’t have family in the United Kingdom to split her time with during the holidays.
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American Markle will spend the festive period with Prince Harry, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and other royals.
It’s where the royals have been enjoying the Yuletide every year since 1988.
Meghan spent the day at Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham on Christmas Day
Britain’s Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex arrive at St Mary Magdalene’s church in a show of solidarity
Ragland will also not be moving in with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex when they welcome their first child next year.
On Monday, Meghan’s estranged half-brother Thomas Markle Jr said the clan would gather at the home of her grandmother Jeanette Ragland for Christmas dinner.
He said: ‘[Meghan’s mother] Doria would cook the Christmas dinner. Doria and her family were probably the biggest anchors of family unity when it came to holidays.
‘Their entire family would get together over at Doria’s mom’s house and our family hadn’t done that for many years when I was growing up. We just did that a few times as young children in Chicago.
Doria and Meghan (pictured at Meghan’s wedding day in May) will be reunited soon. It’s believed the Duke and Duchess of Sussex jetted off to LA to visit her tonight
‘But as far as when Meghan was a child, Doria has a big family and everybody got together – her sisters, her dad, her grandfather, her mom and then of course us and Meghan.
‘There was always that big family homey feeling because everybody was happy, everybody was in a good mood, everybody left their baggage outside the door and it was all about family which was pretty important. It was nice.’
He issued another plea for family unity – and said he fears his father will spend Christmas alone without even a card from the Duchess to console him.
This comes after her Thomas Markle Sr, 74, revealed in a Good Morning Britain interview the same day that he has been making daily attempts to contact his daughter and wishes to reconcile.
Thomas Jr said to DailyMailTV: ‘I think when she sees the difference between the Christmas she spends at the Palace, and she doesn’t have her family around her, I think she’ll realize that she’s missing something.’
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