Doria Ragland Turns 70 in California as Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Begin New Life in the UK

Doria Ragland marked her 70th birthday quietly in California on Wednesday, just days after her daughter, Meghan Markle, Prince Harry and their two children returned to the UK following six years in the United States.

The milestone birthday found Ragland keeping things low-key. The social worker was photographed in California wearing a simple white V-neck T-shirt and pajama pants, with her hair pulled into a bun. She spent part of the day outside, pulling weeds from her garden and collecting her mail.

Her relaxed birthday comes at a significant moment for the family. Meghan, 45, and Harry, 41, recently relocated to the UK with their children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 4.

The family arrived in Britain on Aug. 26 after leaving California, where they had lived since 2020. They are expected to spend an extended period in the UK while remaining private citizens rather than returning to official royal duties.

Doria is staying in California

Despite her close relationship with Meghan, Harry and their children, Ragland has remained in California.

Reports last month indicated that she was not planning to move to the UK with the Sussexes. She has an established life on the West Coast, including her involvement in the local yoga community, and was not ready to leave her friends and routine behind.

Ragland has remained a familiar and supportive presence in the Sussexes’ family life. Before Meghan and Harry left California, the family spent time together in Montecito, with Ragland joining them and close friends during their final weekend there.

Although the move has created an ocean of distance between Ragland and her grandchildren, the family is expected to remain close.

Ragland, Meghan and Harry were photographed together at the Ms. Foundation Women of Vision Awards in New York in May 2023, where Meghan was honored. Their appearance reflected the close relationship Ragland has maintained with the couple.

A major change for Meghan and Harry

Ragland’s birthday comes only a week after Meghan and Harry made an unexpected return to Britain.

The couple announced in August that they planned to return to Harry’s home country after six years in California. They had stepped back from their roles as senior working royals in 2020 and moved to the United States, a decision that became widely known as “Megxit.”

They subsequently built a life in Montecito, California, where they had lived in a $14 million mansion since 2020.

On Aug. 26, the couple and their children arrived in the UK after flying privately from California to Birmingham. They are expected to live outside London, with the Cotswolds emerging as a likely area for their new home. Archie and Lilibet are also expected to attend school in Britain.

The move does not represent a return to working royal life. Harry and Meghan are expected to continue as non-working royals, while retaining their California home and other private interests.

Their California departure drew mixed reactions

The Sussexes’ exit from Montecito was reportedly welcomed by some of their former neighbors.

According to the Daily Mail, the couple left their California home without much fanfare and had never fully integrated into the affluent community.

Page Six previously spoke with Montecito residents about the move. One neighbor said they “couldn’t be more thrilled” that Harry and Meghan were leaving, while another offered the much harsher assessment: “Good riddance!”

That neighbor also claimed the community was tired of what they described as entitlement and ongoing drama.

The reception in the UK could prove more complicated.

Royal commentator Kinsey Schofield told Page Six that people in the North Cotswolds, where Harry and Meghan are reportedly looking for a home, are not particularly enthusiastic about the prospect of the couple settling nearby.

“The Cotswolds can be incredibly welcoming to high-profile people because there’s an unwritten agreement: ‘You don’t make a spectacle of yourself, and neither will we,'” Schofield said.

She added that residents are accustomed to celebrities but may have different concerns about Harry and Meghan because of the intense media attention that tends to accompany them.

“There’s a sense of, ‘Please don’t bring the circus here,'” Schofield explained.

Meghan embraces a “new chapter”

While speculation surrounds the Sussexes’ move, Meghan appears to be looking ahead.

Her lifestyle brand, As Ever, promoted its new sparkling wine on Instagram Tuesday, shortly before Ragland’s 70th birthday.

The company shared two photographs of its Reserve Brut bottle alongside the message: “A new chapter to celebrate.”

For Ragland, meanwhile, the milestone birthday was spent much more quietly, at home in California and close to the life she has chosen to maintain there.