Meghan Markle: Family and Background - November 2017-May 2018

[Countessmeout]

Woodwook squeaks and out come the freaks. It's sad that some of Meghan's family and "friends" are cashing in. It explains the DM bash story from the maid of (dis)honor claiming Meghan's ex husband was the wronged party in the divorce. I'm guessing Meghan was vetted by BP staff and UK security agencies so the queen could give consent. (I expect a vetting process was done for Kate because she is going to be queen.).

Honestly if squeaky family members disqualified you, William would be as single as Harry. Kate's extended family sure had squeeks as well. Honestly I think the only royal bride still standing likely would be Sophie, whose family as far as I remember has been very low key.

As long as Meghan has no major scandals, and can fit the role, as well as being right for Harry, I don't think the queen is too concerned by the family.

 

[Somebody]

I notice everyone says 'with her mom' but I am sure she would also like to see her dad as well. And she has friends and godchildren to see that from social media we know she sees at the holidays too.

Not for Christmas but possibly after. I could actually see perhaps an invite by Charles for them to come to Scotland. He and Camilla head up to their home for New Years up there. I could see Charles perhaps inviting Harry and Meghan, with her parents, to spend some days up there.

Wouldn't it be very awkward for Meghan's father to be invited by Charles and Camilla while he has never met Harry? Best to first get to know Harry as himself... Just like Meghan said it was important to get to know the queen through Harry's eyes, it would be important for her father to get to know Harry through Meghan's eyes and not through Charles' eyes.

I hope her immediate family will meet his immediate family (and v.v.) before the wedding day (which might be a little hard to coordinate but I am sure it can be arranged if it is prioritized) but preferably not before Thomas Markle has had sufficient time to get to know the man his daughter is going to marry.

So, maybe Harry can join Meghan on a trip to Mexico for Christmas?!

 

[hel]

I don't think it's correct that the Joseph Johnson who sold the pictures/story to the DF is her uncle by marriage.

Joseph, 68, his sister Saundra, 65, and Meghan's mother Doria, 61, were raised by their single mother, Jeanette.

She divorced both her first husband Joseph Johnson (father to Joseph and Saundra) and Doria's dad Alvin Ragland.

Later, there's a caption:

Joseph Johnson, Doria's half-brother, with his wife of 37 years, Pamela, a social worker

So it's her mother's half-brother who's selling the pictures. Her grandmother Jeanette was married first to Joseph Johnson (Joseph and Saundra's father) and then Alvin Ragland (Doria's father).

 

[Countessmeout]

Wouldn't it be very awkward for Meghan's father to be invited by Charles and Camilla while he has never met Harry? Best to first get to know Harry as himself... Just like Meghan said it was important to get to know the queen through Harry's eyes, it would be important for her father to get to know Harry through Meghan's eyes and not through Charles' eyes.

I hope her immediate family will meet his immediate family (and v.v.) before the wedding day (which might be a little hard to coordinate but I am sure it can be arranged if it is prioritized) but preferably not before Thomas Markle has had sufficient time to get to know the man his daughter is going to marry.

So, maybe Harry can join Meghan on a trip to Mexico for Christmas?!

Thomas could always come for a few days before and get to know Harry before Scotland. Being in Scotland would be a nice comfortable setting away from press to get to know Harry anyways.

My point was everyone seems obsessed with Doria. Doria not being alone. Not seeing Doria for Christmas. But I don't see anyone mentioning dad, or concern for her dad and her relationship. Its like we are assuming she has no relationship with her dad at all.

 

[Abbigail]

Despite Meghan having a good relaionship with her dad, they don't seem to spend a lot of time together, as opposed to her mom who is more visible and has been there for all the major events in Meghan's adult life. I'm sure that has a lot to do with the focus on Doria. I wouldn't worry about dad, he seems to prefer a much more low-key life anyway. But I suspect that he will meet Harry before the wedding.

 

[Somebody]

Thomas could always come for a few days before and get to know Harry before Scotland. Being in Scotland would be a nice comfortable setting away from press to get to know Harry anyways.

My point was everyone seems obsessed with Doria. Doria not being alone. Not seeing Doria for Christmas. But I don't see anyone mentioning dad, or concern for her dad and her relationship. Its like we are assuming she has no relationship with her dad at all.

If Thomas was to come to the UK on a separate trip (some time before the wedding) it would make sense to combine things. However, I would think it would be way more comfortable for him to meet Harry elsewhere (his own home for example or in LA).

I second your concern for her dad but the fact that meeting him hasn't been a priotity in the last year and a half is also telling. Preferring to stay low-key would not have been a limitations (there might be other limitations that we don't know about of course but I have a hard time to come up with something that would have made it completely impossible).

 

[jacqui24]

second your concern for her dad but the fact that meeting him hasn't been a priotity in the last year and a half is also telling. Preferring to stay low-key would not have been a limitations (there might be other limitations that we don't know about of course but I have a hard time to come up with something that would have made it completely impossible).

Sometimes it's just family dynamics, especially when they live in different countries. It sounds like they are close, but just don't see each other very often because of distance. Eventually, you get used to that. I've read that they talk weekly. What we do know for sure is that they are close enough for Harry to ask him for his blessing before proposing. He retired and in his late 70s. He has his own life in a quiet place and her life is in the city.

My point was everyone seems obsessed with Doria. Doria not being alone. Not seeing Doria for Christmas. But I don't see anyone mentioning dad, or concern for her dad and her relationship. Its like we are assuming she has no relationship with her dad at all.

I don't think her and her dad aren't close. To the contrary, we've heard Meghan about how close she is to her dad. I don't think closeness is defined by how much you see each other, considering the fact that they've been living in different countries for at least the last 7 years. I think people just assume he doesn't mind being alone at this point.

 

[Somebody]

Sometimes it's just family dynamics, especially when they live in different countries. It sounds like they are close, but just don't see each other very often because of distance. Eventually, you get used to that. I've read that they talk weekly. What we do know for sure is that they are close enough for Harry to ask him for his blessing before proposing. He retired and in his late 70s. He has his own life in a quiet place and her life is in the city.

Good to hear that they talk weekly. Still, not making it a priority for Thomas and Harry to meet is something I don't really understand. Meghan is changing her whole life because of it - and from Harry's perspective I'd say it would be important to get to know both sides of her family; Meghan is making it a priority regarding Harry's family as well.

Next to family dynamics, age (and it being her second marriage) might also play into it. I would imagine that it might have been different had Harry and Meghan met 10 years earlier...

And having lived in a different country (for the last 6 on a different continent) than my family for close to 8 years now, I know that distance does not necessarily equal a distant relationship - but not having met even once is what perplexes me. We've found that it is extremely important for close family and friends to visit us to truly understand our lives. Talking on the phone (or on skype) cannot replace that. Let alone if that other person is someone you've never met. Hopefully, they will find time to get to know each other in the coming months

 

[AdmirerUS]

Good to hear that they talk weekly. Still, not making it a priority for Thomas and Harry to meet is something I don't really understand. Meghan is changing her whole life because of it - and from Harry's perspective I'd say it would be important to get to know both sides of her family; Meghan is making it a priority regarding Harry's family as well.

Next to family dynamics, age (and it being her second marriage) might also play into it. I would imagine that it might have been different had Harry and Meghan met 10 years earlier...

And having lived in a different country (for the last 6 on a different continent) than my family for close to 8 years now, I know that distance does not necessarily equal a distant relationship - but not having met even once is what perplexes me. We've found that it is extremely important for close family and friends to visit us to truly understand our lives. Talking on the phone (or on skype) cannot replace that. Let alone if that other person is someone you've never met. Hopefully, they will find time to get to know each other in the coming months

I have been assuming that while they have not pressed flesh, they have Facetimed, Skyped or the like. People meet, fall in love and get engaged via online media. I don't suggest that but synchronous communication is easy these days.

 

[hel]

Since this is about her time in toronto, I figured it would count as her "background".

AP interviewed her next door neighbour about his experiences with Meghan:

• the security were apparently very easy to work with
• she got him chocolates as a thank you
• the neighbour described her as "lovely" and said she greeted him whenever she saw him

 

[MaiaMia_53]

Thanks for sharing that video of one of Meghan's friendly neighbors. I believe she had other neighbors with whom she shared a closer relationship with who had dogs that her dogs used to visit quite often. But I'm sure her closer neighbors and friends would not agree to speak on camera.

I don't think it's correct that the Joseph Johnson who sold the pictures/story to the DF is her uncle by marriage.

So it's her mother's half-brother who's selling the pictures. Her grandmother Jeanette was married first to Joseph Johnson (Joseph and Saundra's father) and then Alvin Ragland (Doria's father).

Right, I came back to acknowledge that distinction. Lots of half relations are involved. How sad though that there are these half relations who are willing to take such liberties. And yes, even former friends. SMH. But it can happen to anyone and in any family.

OTOH, I'm happy to see all of these really sweet pictures of the young Meghan Markle. It would be nice if there'd been some other way for us to see the pictures, other than scummy DF paying out huge sums to opportunistic half relations who are estranged from Meghan.

 

[Ish]

Good to hear that they talk weekly. Still, not making it a priority for Thomas and Harry to meet is something I don't really understand. Meghan is changing her whole life because of it - and from Harry's perspective I'd say it would be important to get to know both sides of her family; Meghan is making it a priority regarding Harry's family as well.

It's not that simple though... I mean, Meghan and Harry didn't live on the same continent, so much of their relationship up until now has been conducted around the pair of them trying to find time to fly to visit the other. For Meghan, meeting Harry's family under those circumstances isn't all that hard - sure the BRF has its schedules, but meeting the Cambridges, Charles and Camilla, and even the Queen and DoE is relatively easy given as they all live in a fairly close geographic area as Harry.

For Harry to meet Meghan's family, there's an extra layer, as neither of Meghan's parents live in Toronto (where Meghan lived up until her recent move) - her mother lives in LA, her father in Mexico. So, unless Meghan's mom or dad were willing/able to fly up to Toronto at a time when Harry was also flying to Toronto, it makes it harder for Harry to have met Meghan's family. Even assuming that for every trip to London that Meghan's made Harry also made a trip to Toronto, it still gives Meghan a lot more opportunity to meet his family than for Harry to meet Meghan's.

 

[King of the Jungle]

A wealthy young man willing to holiday in Botswana would be capable of visiting Mexico to meet his future father-in-law if he so wished. I think it's a little odd that Meghan didn't make sure that the two met. Odd can still be okay. We don't know the circumstances.

 

[Ish]

Except, not. Harry's not exactly your typical wealthy young man. He's a man who's traveling is fairly well known. He doesn't typically get private trips that members of the public aren't aware of. When he made the trip to Botswana this past summer, he was photographed. When he made the trip last year (and the year before) he was photographed - and both trips were marketed to the public as working trips. Many of his trips to Toronto have also involved him being spotted, if not outright photographed.

And, again, we don't know what Tom Markle's schedule is like. We don't know if the scheduling would have worked for Meghan, Harry, and Tom to all be available with Meghan and Harry both flying to Mexico to see him. Or for Tom to fly to Toronto on a weekend Harry was there, or London on a weekend Meghan was there.

 

[Lady Nimue]

Sometimes it's just family dynamics, especially when they live in different countries. It sounds like they are close, but just don't see each other very often because of distance. Eventually, you get used to that. I've read that they talk weekly. What we do know for sure is that they are close enough for Harry to ask him for his blessing before proposing. He retired and in his late 70s. He has his own life in a quiet place and her life is in the city.

So true (the underlined). You just get used to the distance, and since (because of distance) every-day life is not shared, the 'closeness' becomes something different, or manifests differently. If they do in fact talk weekly that is huge in my book. I have natal family scattered to the winds. Weekly calls are out of the question for most of us. I know they exist there, we do not always have to be 'touching'. It's the way it evolves when people move away. I see nothing amiss on the face of it. No reason to fuss about it. It is private. (Maybe Mr Markle is in the process of correcting his diet and working out to be sleek and handsome for his daughter's big day. Possible. Happens all the time).

It's not that simple though... I mean, Meghan and Harry didn't live on the same continent, so much of their relationship up until now has been conducted around the pair of them trying to find time to fly to visit the other. For Meghan, meeting Harry's family under those circumstances isn't all that hard - sure the BRF has its schedules, but meeting the Cambridges, Charles and Camilla, and even the Queen and DoE is relatively easy given as they all live in a fairly close geographic area as Harry.

Good points. Very true.

For Harry to meet Meghan's family, there's an extra layer, as neither of Meghan's parents live in Toronto (where Meghan lived up until her recent move) - her mother lives in LA, her father in Mexico. So, unless Meghan's mom or dad were willing/able to fly up to Toronto at a time when Harry was also flying to Toronto, it makes it harder for Harry to have met Meghan's family. Even assuming that for every trip to London that Meghan's made Harry also made a trip to Toronto, it still gives Meghan a lot more opportunity to meet his family than for Harry to meet Meghan's.

I agree overall with what you are saying, though we do know that Harry has visited with Meghan's mother several times. He hinted at the visits being longish, I think. We actually don't know where these meet-ups happened. They could have happened in L.A. The couple indicated that they had been traveling lots of places.

The decision not to meet the father in person, or the father to meet Harry, could be rooted in any number of considerations (which we will never know unless it comes out at some point). Like others I assume they have Skyped.

 

[royal rob]

Maybe he just doesn’t want to be part of the royal circus. Completely understandable he doesn’t want his face on the mags and his life on the news

 

[Humbugged]

There was a piece in the Jessica Mulroney in the NY Post over the weekend about her friendship with Meghan (probably because the details of Meghan's outfit that KP released had her name on it as where some of the pieces had came from ) .

They apparently phoned Ben to ask if they could interview her and were told where to go

 

[hel]

There was a piece in the Jessica Mulroney in the NY Post over the weekend about her friendship with Meghan (probably because the details of Meghan's outfit that KP released had her name on it as where some of the pieces had came from ) .

They apparently phoned Ben to ask if they could interview her and were told where to go

Ugh.. three paragraphs in and I'd already strained my eyes from rolling them. Canada doesn't have a first lady, NY Post, nor do we inaugurate PMs, we swear them in.

And after all that, it turns out that Ben was distressingly polite in the way he told them where to go.

 

[jacqui24]

And after all that, it turns out that Ben was distressingly polite in the way he told them where to go.

Ben works in the media, he won’t be cussing them out anytime soon for something like this.

Btw, I watched the 20/20 special about Meghan. They had some Canadian media entertainment outlet that was interviewed. I noticed they had participants from eTalk. I particularly noticed Ben didn’t participate even though he’s a friend of the bride to be, and the special was done in a respectful manner. I think that’s the type of behavior we can expect from the Mulroneys on this topic from now on.

 

[AlowVera]

Thanks for sharing that video of one of Meghan's friendly neighbors. I believe she had other neighbors with whom she shared a closer relationship with who had dogs that her dogs used to visit quite often. But I'm sure her closer neighbors and friends would not agree to speak on camera.



Right, I came back to acknowledge that distinction. Lots of half relations are involved. How sad though that there are these half relations who are willing to take such liberties. And yes, even former friends. SMH. But it can happen to anyone and in any family.

OTOH, I'm happy to see all of these really sweet pictures of the young Meghan Markle. It would be nice if there'd been some other way for us to see the pictures, other than scummy DF paying out huge sums to opportunistic half relations who are estranged from Meghan.

I want to give the half uncle the benefit of the doubt, I think he thought Daily Fail was a nice publication, yes he made money but I think if he knew about how cruel The Fail has been to Meghan and her mother he would of said no. The sad thing is that The Fail knows that these are ordinary people and they are preying on them for narrative.

I fail to see how either story even that friend are deal breakers or even controversial. The same thing happend with Kate and Uncle Gary and even the stripper cousin. I don't know why the press treats the brides so awful.

Save​

 

[TLLK]

I fail to see how either story even that friend are deal breakers or even controversial. The same thing happend with Kate and Uncle Gary and even the stripper cousin. I don't know why the press treats the brides so awful.

It's sad and unfair IMO, but unfortunately these stories do generate revenue for the media so they're going to continue.

 

[Juliette2]

Will Miss Markle's and her family be allowed a Coat of Arms?

 

[Ish]

Meghan will, it’s just unclear right now if the arms will be granted to her father (as is traditionally done) or to her (as her father is not a British citizen).

 

[Juliette2]

Meghan will, it’s just unclear right now if the arms will be granted to her father (as is traditionally done) or to her (as her father is not a British citizen).

Right, it makes sense.

 

[texankitcat]

A wealthy young man willing to holiday in Botswana would be capable of visiting Mexico to meet his future father-in-law if he so wished. I think it's a little odd that Meghan didn't make sure that the two met. Odd can still be okay. We don't know the circumstances.

He is it just a wealthy young man, he is a famous Royal Prince who is required to have special security wherever he goes. He is also not a citizen of the US and would require permission to enter the country which would further draw attention to his visit and the purpose of that visit. Canada is part of the Commonwealth so entirely different issue with his traveling to that country.

If her father is not comfortable with the media attention and he doesn’t want to travel then I would say his daughter (and Harry) are honoring his wishes. Harry doesn’t have to meet her father to know his daughter.

 

[Cocoasneeze]

He is it just a wealthy young man, he is a famous Royal Prince who is required to have special security wherever he goes. He is also not a citizen of the US and would require permission to enter the country which would further draw attention to his visit and the purpose of that visit. Canada is part of the Commonwealth so entirely different issue with his traveling to that country.

If her father is not comfortable with the media attention and he doesn’t want to travel then I would say his daughter (and Harry) are honoring his wishes. Harry doesn’t have to meet her father to know his daughter.

Yes, it wouldn't be as simple as Meghan and Harry just go visit him, Harry isn't able to fo simple visits like that. He'd have to have RPO with him, the place he'd stay at would have to be secure, and possibly Meghan's father simply doesn't have accommodation like that. Added the privacy issues, Meghan's father clearly wants his privacy, and this visit would have brought a whole new level of media attention to him and his life, which he doesn't want.

I feel bad for Meghan's father, actually. He doesn't want any part of the tabloid frenzy, but they don't care, and have found out the place he lives, and published it. He doesn't deserve it.

 

[Zaira]

I also think it’s extremely weird that Harry has not met Thomas Markle Sr. We know they have talked on the phone several times and presumably FaceTimed or Skyped, but I don’t know, something just seems very strange with her father.

I am disappointed her Uncle shared these pics even if they are lovely. We don’t have nearly as many Kate childhood pics! Doria’s Family has been very quiet during all of this which I really respected. Her Uncle should have known better.

 

[Frelinghighness]

Her father lives in Mexico? Where? We also don't know how healthy and his ability to travel

 

[Cocoasneeze]

I also think it’s extremely weird that Harry has not met Thomas Markle Sr. We know they have talked on the phone several times and presumably FaceTimed or Skyped, but I don’t know, something just seems very strange with her father.

I am disappointed her Uncle shared these pics even if they are lovely. We don’t have nearly as many Kate childhood pics! Doria’s Family has been very quiet during all of this which I really respected. Her Uncle should have known better.

I don't think there's enough info of Meghan's father to make any assessment of him. From what Meghan has said in interviews, he seems to have had a very smart, thoughtful way of bringing her up. He encouraged her to write letters about that advertisement when Meghan was 11 years old. He was the one telling her to make her own box in the surveys, instead of ticking 'other'. I think he just might not want to be part of any sort of tabloid frenzy, which is IMHO very understandable.

 

[jacqui24]

We have to remember this is a man that's worked in the film industry for many years behind the scenes. He's always been close enough to see the damage attention does to many, but not be in it himself. I'd think he's very wary of this type of thing.