Meghan Markle's mum Doria Ragland has revealed she was fond of her son-in-law Prince Harry from the moment they first met.
The former yoga instructor and make-up artist, 66, from LA, has become a huge part of the Sussexes life since they moved to California.
Doria made her television debut in the couples' Netflix docuseries, Harry & Meghan. Speaking to the camera, Meghan's mother was quizzed by producers about the first time her daughter told her about her new royal romance back in 2016.
Recalling their phone conversation, Doria says Meghan – who was starring as Rachel Zane in Suits at the time – whispered: "Mommy, I'm going out with Prince Harry."
Doria said: "I started whispering [and said] , '"oh my God!'"
During the phone call, Meghan told her mother that, for now, she needed to keep her relationship a secret.
Doria explained: "From the beginning, it was very sort of… nobody could know."
She then went on to share her first impressions of her son-in-law – but stayed tight-lipiped on when and where the meeting took place.
She continued: "He was this 6'1 handsome man with red hair, great manners. He was just really nice. They look really happy together. He was 'The One'."
In their engagement interview, Harry described Doria as "amazing".
"I'm sure the onset, both my parents and my close friends were concerned, because we got very quickly swept up in a media storm that, as I shared, was not part of my life before that, but they also had never seen me so happy," Meghan said.
"And I think also once my friends – excuse me, were able to – to really meet Harry, and my mum, who we've spent a lot of time with, who is so much fun." Prince Harry added: "Her mum's amazing."
Harry and Doria have forged a close relationship over the past five years, with Meghan's mother being by the couples' side through all of their relationship milestones, from the royal wedding to helping with their newborns.
Doria stayed with the couple in Frogmore Cottage after Archie was born in April 2019, lending her expertise to the new parents and was even present when Archie met the Queen for the first time.
With Harry and Meghan now based in Montecito, Doria lives just a 90 minute drive from her grandchildren, Archie and Lilibet, and spends as much time with them as possible.
When royal expert Jennie Bond was interviewed for the 2021 documentary, Secrets Of The Royal – The Markles vs. The Monarchy, she said: "Harry seems to have an absolutely brilliant relationship with Doria, there's no doubt that Meghan and Doria are closer geographically, physically and perhaps emotionally as well than they ever have been."
Omid Scobie, co-author of Sussex biography Finding Freedom, previously stated: "Doria is said to enjoy a close relationship with Harry and continues to be a pillar of strength for Meghan."
And according to journalist and commentator, Ayesha Hazarika, the Sussexes have fully embraced the Californian lifestyle and have relied heavily on Doria's help with raising young Archie and Lili.
Speaking on the Secrets Of The Royal documentary, she said: "Doria apparently enjoys feeding wee Archie organic food and she's also a trained yoga instructor as well.
"I have these visions of them doing baby yoga together, so I think he's definitely a very cool, Californian baby."
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