It felt like the British public’s reaction to Doria Ragland was overwhelmingly positive. It felt like the royal family’s reaction to Doria was super-positive too – even the racist pearl-clutchers were like “Doria is amazing.” There’s been a lot of talk about how Doria plans to move part-time to London, especially now that Meghan is pregnant. I’ve already said that I would find that completely understandable – Meghan is Doria’s only child, and Doria never remarried after divorcing Thomas Markle, and it just feels like Meghan and Doria are super-close and they’re their own little family unit. Prince Harry is wild about Doria too. So… given all that, would it be so shocking if the Queen put aside her super-structured Germanic Christmas rules and actually invited Doria to spend Christmas with the royal family?
Meghan Markle’s mum could be spending Christmas Day with the Royal Family after claims the Queen extended the invite to her new in-law. Just months on from the Royal Wedding, Doria Ragland has reportedly been asked to Sandringham, Her Majesty’s country estate in Norfolk.
A senior royal source said the offer was a “very thoughtful gesture” – and an unusual one. Kate Middleton’s family has previously been invited to the Christmas morning church service, but have preferred to celebrate the day at the Cambridges’ home in Anmer Hall.
Speaking to the Daily Express, the source said: “It’s a mark of the Queen’s respect for Meghan and an acknowledgement that she doesn’t have any other relations in this country – unlike Kate who has the support of a very close family.”
Doria Ragland’s calm, warm demeanour appears to have impressed the Palace, after she was seen chatting away to her in-laws at the Royal Wedding. She is known to be very close to Meghan, 37, and is said to even be planning a return to London to help with her new grandchild in the New Year. The 62-year-old from Cleveland, Ohio, has been described by the Duchess of Sussex as a “free-spirited clinical therapist” who often took her travelling to remote places when she was younger.
It’s not completely out of left field, if the Queen really did extend the invitation. The Countess of Wessex is allowed to invite her widower father to spend the Christmas holiday with the royal family as well, because the Queen is so fond of Sophie and because the Queen didn’t want Sophie’s dad to be on his own on Christmas. I seem to remember that during the Duchess of Cambridge’s first pregnancy, she and William spent that Christmas in Berkshire, didn’t they? The Queen definitely loosens the rules when A) it involves one of her favorites, B) the royal woman is preg and/or C) she’s already quite fond of the in-law. Now I want to see Doria and the Queen walking to church together on Christmas morning. The royal reporters will have a glorious meltdown if that happens.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
Cue the trashy sh*t show Markles. I can smell the thwarted rage from here.
Oh my gosh, I forgot about the Markles. Can you image the rage!!!
Thomas could have had all of this too if he’d just kept his trap shut.
Hehehe…
Not sure about that. If he acts this way in public, I dread to think how he acts in private.
That’s right. He has only himself to blame.
I *think* that part of the reason that Doria was invited (aside from the fact that she by all appearances is a lovely, gracious woman, well-liked by the royal family) is that she doesn’t appear to have any close family other than Meghan. If she wasn’t invited to Sandringham for Christmas, she’d be spending Christmas alone.
Obstensibly, Thomas has other children and grandchildren, so I’m not sure that he’d have been invited even if he was a normal, nice, person who didn’t have TMZ and the DM on speed dial.
Eh. Trashy, abusive people respond in trashy, abusive ways. I can’t give them anymore of my focus because they are never going to learn. I’m excited for Doria and Meghan if this is true.
Yeah, here comes all the empty threats and insults for that awful woman “my loving father who made her who she is better be invited too or….. I will just keep repeating the same dog whistle bullsh@t because I have no life and my own family wants nothing to do with me.”
I’ve been wondering if SM & TM were going to start up again, perhaps the DM got tired of paying them to spout off. I have to say that I love that the RF has embraced Doria as they have.
can we please just STOP bringing those awful people up in every meghan post?? it’s unnecessary and just keeps giving them attention.
… and it smells like Jungle Gardenia gone rancid and set ablaze.
The Queen and Doria going to church together would cause the pearl clutchers to go into a melt down.
We shall see!
I’d love to see Doria in the car with the Queen!
Doria seems like such a lovely, classy person, she would fit into any social situation with grace.
Exactly how I feel, minx. Exactly.
Ha!
Willnot carol / Cannot middleton will be in melt down as well. This is huge respect to hardworking, professional Prince/ESS Henry Sussex. This is what Duchess Sussex hardwork professional efforts (before and after Officially a Royal) for HM BRF /The Firm – POW and the people of GB UK CW has earned and will no doubt continues up to delivery and after.
Whiny Will middleton did turn down this past summer, invite from pa POW to spend time at his home.
Stay tuned to The Duchess of Sussex well earned – HM RFO.
If only we could understand your posts RoyalSparkle!
Yess! +1 to Flying Fish
Cue the photo of Thomas Markle looking forlorn at a “Charlie Brown” raggedy Christmas tree with a few ornaments. Holding a wrapped gift with a tag saying “To Meghan from Dad”.
Of course Samantha will go on a twitter rant saying how “evil” Meghan should watch “A Christmas Carol” so she can learn the true meaning of Christmas and invite their father
You are so right in all of this.
Only a small change to your perfect scenario: Evil Papa Smurf will be holding a gift addressed to Polo Baby Sussex. We might even get a teary eye, or one drop rolling down the cheek, glistening in the screenshot.
Seriously, we can pretty much make bank on their reactions by now.
I hope this baby NEVER has to deal with that side of her family.
Add to mix a medical crisis. Maybe he’ll park a hospital bed in that fabric shop where he was photographed being “fitted” for a suit.
Thomas Markle has two other children and five grandchildren. Why doesn’t he spend Christmas with them? There’s no reason for him to spend the holiday alone – unless, of course, they are so PO’d at his past behaviour they want nothing to do with him.
LOL at TM’s Charlie Brown Christmas.
As Kaiser noted, Sophie’s dad spends Christmases at Sandringham so I will roll my eyes at any whining if Doria is invited too.
Sophie’s dad, loved by TQ, stays at Sandringham with the family as Ed and Sophie don’t have a home on Sandringham. The Mids, stay with their daughter’s family at her home, Amner (so no need for a SH invite); they also joined in Christmas morning Church walk and lunch… were they invited to Christmas Eve though? Don’t remember.
Don’t the Cams alternate one year in Berkshire, one in Norfolk? Also, now Pip is in the mix with her family (Do we still not know the name of her boy? Did they get a Hello Mag. deal to divulge it there?? Anyone know?), so she may be with her new family and not the Mids/Cams.
Personally, I think that Meg not having any other family in England (besides her new family), and with Doria being alone, it’s only right that she’s invited to spend the holiday. You *know* she’s coming in to be with Meg and Harry; they aren’t going to wave at Doria going out the door and tell her to stay put, and they’ll catch her later! lol
I don’t think the Middletons ever did the church walk with the royal family. They have done it at other times (I’m thinking of a January service?) but I don’t think they have done it at Christmas.
I was also going to say that the only reason Doria is invited is because Meghan doesn’t have family in England. Although Meghan is in her 30s, it’s probably hard on her being pregnant and in a new country sort of alone.
I didn’t know Sophie’s dad joined them at Christmas. I think probably Doria will be invited but I wonder how accommodation works. There must be so many people staying on the estate at Christmas and joining the Queen for Christmas lunch. Aren’t the Queens four children and all of the grandchildren and great grandchildren all in attendance usually? Sandringham house isn’t as big as it looks from the outside. Just fitting that many people around a table must be a nightmare.
There are multiple homes/cottages, etc. at Sandringham including Anmer Hall, Kate and Wills country home. Sandringham House looks plenty big enough to my eyes (but then again I live in a studio, so what do I know) but I’m sure any overflow can be accommodated in some of the other buildings on the estate.
I live just outside of Sandringham and my partner works on the estate. It isn’t really that big at all. There are indeed other cottages but with so many people, I’m sure it’s still a squeeze.
I think it would be a very nice offer since the thought of my own mom spending Christmas alone is terrible. Not that I know how important Christmas is to them as a family, but as the child of an unmarried divorcee i can relate to worrying about my mom during the holidays.
I’m in this boat too. Only child, unmarried divorced mom. I would never not include her on any holiday plans!! Luckily my in laws are fantastic and they have gotten close!
I agree that it’s nice and the right thing to do, but Dora’s been divorced for 30 years. I imagine she’s had many meaningful relationships since then, being by all accounts a warm, pleasant person. Of course she wants to be with her pregnant only child on a holiday, but I doubt her daily life is lonely.
But who was with Doria last Christmas? Was she alone? Why didn’t anyone care then?
I think it is nice for her to be invited, but let’s not pretend Meghan spent every Christmas with her mother. I’m sure her mother has other relatives and good friends who are happy to be with her.
PattyCakes:
Exactly. Meghan and Doria are clearly very close, but I get the sense that Doria has a strong support network. This is not about Doria spending Xmas alone in sunny, secular L.A., this is about acknowledging Meghan’s family (who consist, as far as we know, of Doria) and making Meghan feel included.
I think it was her ex, Cory’s mother, who said Meghan spent 2 Christmases with their family, so I don’t think that is an issue for Meghan. But everything is much different now, she’s pregnant, and probably wants her mum around more.
Honestly, this rocks. It says a lot that the Queen recognizes Meghan’s lack of family (can’t figure out a more eloquent way to put that), and Meghan I’m sure wants her mom with her at Christmas.
I’m wondering if we’re going to talk about how much she spent on her tour wardrobe? According to outlets, she spent more on clothes for those 2 weeks than Kate did her entire first year of marriage.
Are you serious? That’s because Kate did almost no engagements and Meghan had almost 60. I need you to come a little stronger than that.
To be fair, Kate had a tour too. Nobody doubts that Meghan did way more engagements, but nobody can doubt that she wore more expensive clothes. I seem to remember Kate wearing more high street during her first years, along with her McQueen pieces
Kate was much younger than Meghan. I am quite relaxed about the cost of Meghan’s wardrobe as long as she’s going to do lots of engagements.
Meghan spent in one tour what Kate is reported to spend annually. Kate usually does 100-120 engagements to Meghan’s 60. I would say that is a big difference. I can understand UK tax payers being upset. I think the difference is that Kate loves shopping and Meghan loves fashion. So, Kate wears High street more often because it’s not about the designer.
Kate has averaged between 34 and 140 engagements each year since her marriage. She has only passed 100 engagements in two years, 2012 and 2016. She did 34 in the year of her marriage. Meghan has already doubled that. And Kate doesn’t wear high street much any more, and she has taken the Queen’s very clever tactic of wearing “bespoke” everything so it’s impossible to estimate the true cost of her wardrobe.
I’m convinced that most of the expensive clothes (all the Givenchy in particular) are just Meghan’s trousseau from Charles. I think Kate got the same treatment, but chose not to flash the seriously designer stuff at first. Iirc, when Kate started flashing a lot of high end stuff, it wasn’t current season, so I suspect she had it in her closet a while. I think she always spent money on clothes like Meghan, just cleverly decided to keep with her commoner turned princess narrative by not showing them off at first. Now, she’s wearing it all the time and getting bespoke too.
And I’m certain Big Billy Cambridge would make sure his brother’s wife didn’t get better treatment than Katy Keen.
There are shenanigans going on with the prices.
Like @Tina said, wearing bespoke everything means there isn’t a market value price to Kate’s clothes and on at least one occasion, the DM price of Meghan’s clothes has been off by thousands.
Kate was very smart to set a narrative that she was a thrifty person with clothes right from her first engagement when she wore a reworked Katherine Hooker coat. And I don’t support this but from a pr standpoint, Meghan needs to be better at not letting her clothes be priced.
All that being said, both Kate and Meghan could stand to reduce the cost of their wardrobe. They do not need to wear a bigger designer label like Alexander McQueen or Givenchy unless they’re attending a major event. Their outfits to Wimbledon were over the top expensive. And at least branch out more. Don’t wear fast fashion like M&S or Zara, but smaller labels from designers still establishing themselves.
Kate may have worn more high street but jeez she looked unprofessional most of the time with flimsy little dresses flying up and skin-tight jeggings. Meghan has always looked stylish and professional.
I believe the host country pays for the tour, including the royal wardrobe. Just recently there was a controversy about Charles’ yeoman of the wardrobe expenses when he was in Australia.
Sometimes my posts with links don’t go through, which I understand, but if this one does: this details how her ethical choices helped worthy brands too https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2018/oct/31/the-meghan-effect-how-her-ethical-and-sustainable-fashion-choices-change-lives
I’m rolling my eyes SO HARD at this I don’t know if they will ever come back down.
The comparison was with the average of Kate’s annual expenses. It doesn’t matter at all if Meghan has done more engagements in her first year because she had a tour. Kate has done long tours with her daily three changes of clothes and she would never get a pass for spending more than £110 in two weeks. And she would never get a pass for spending an estimated £35,000 in two days,as Meghan did for the RAF Service and her first day in Ireland.
Kate’s wardrobe for her India and Buthan tour costs less than what Meghan spent for her mini tour in Ireland. It’s absurd.
It’s not acceptable,no matter the excuses.
@Sam Is Meghan recycling?
Yeah, those figures are interesting. Meghan spent in a couple of weeks what Kate spends annually. The host country picks up the tour tab, by the way, just as they have done for W&K tours. So, this time, it isn’t us, but the Aussies and everyone else.
“and on at least one occasion, the DM price of Meghan’s clothes has been off by thousands.” The DM can be wrong, sure, but they wouldn’t print something this wrong which can be found all over the interwebs. I’ve noticed there are so many ‘what Meghan wore’ sites popping up, and they do price each item accurately, the DM seems to pick the numbers up from these sites. The problem is, when Meghan wears couture, nobody online is going to receive accurate prices – when Kate wears bespoke, the same applies. In my opinion, M&K should stick to the couture & high end bespoke for the big events. There’s no need to wear these pieces at regular weekly engagements. Kate mixes in a lot of high street with designer pieces which is a better look PR wise. Her recent looks have been a good blend of the two, the Erdem was worn at the nighttime event only.
Those are a lot of mealy mouthed words to justify Kate’s laziness.
I’m guessing the queen likes that meg isn’t spoiled like her kids.
As for the clothes, it’s a different topic, but she needs to give it a rest, but she’s one of them now…
Kate’s Canada tour was also not two weeks long. If I recall, it was just a week.
Nine days.
Kate Canadian tour of 6 days cost her around $70k and this woman rarely does any repeats.DF counted a lot of Meghans outfit twice or stuff she’s had before,they counted it again.Harrys coat,they counted it even though it’s not Meghans so I’m sceptical of the numbers.Meghan is also close to a 100 engagements this year so again,done more work than Kate
Their 2011 tour was June 30th to July 8th. So 9 days.
The tour in 2016 was September 24th to October 1st – 7 days.
https://www.elle.com/fashion/celebrity-style/news/a41569/kate-middleton-2016-wardrobe-costs/
Oh, this breaks it down well. They roughly estimate the custom pieces, which sound about right. I don’t seem to recall Kate wearing couture? That’s the only difference (price point wise as couture is definitely higher) I see with Meghan & Kate’s wardrobe choices.
Kate’s 2016 Canada tour of 6 days cost $76k. Even if we take the $110k number as accurate, and there have been several different numbers passed about, this tour lasted 16 days. The cost per day for Meghan is far less. And Meghan did three speeches. Kate still rarely speaks.
+1000
Respect to The Sussex dedication hard work to Royal Duties – HM – The Firm – POW, the people of GB CW, way before Royal marriage.
What has Kate’s laziness got to do with the cost of their wardrobes, though? I honestly don’t think it matters how much each Duchess works as Royal “work” isn’t really work. Do people make a fuss over Sophie’s wardrobe? I am very sure she wears high-end pieces too, however, she isn’t directly in the spotlight, so nobody notices lol. I don’t buy the whole “if this Duchess works that much we’ll lay off talking about the price of their outfits”. Their fashion will always be discussed, including the cost. If someone tallied up my whole closet, the average cost of my outfits and started being snarky over it “omg, how much?” that type of thing – I’d be slightly peeved ‘cos it’s none of their business. I guess for the Duchesses this is part and parcel of their job because their working expenses are funded with public money. Playing the PR game when it comes down to their clothing choices is a must considering everything going on at the moment. I do like that Meghan chose a few sustainable fashion brands and brought them into the spotlight.
Oops, wrong place. Oh well.
If royal work isn’t actually work, why doesn’t Kate do more of it? As a Brit, I think that royal work is work, and I want them to work. And I like that Meghan seems to be working hard from the beginning. (And nic919 is right about the cost of their wardrobes. The Kate apologists talk about “UK taxpayers being upset” when none of us are actually upset.)
umm, have you read the archives of this place? haha full of people being weirdly angry over the money being spent on Kate even though they’re mostly Non-Brits. Frothing at the mouth when Kate’s spending is added up or revealed. Ridiculous
Yeah, I’ve been here for some time. You’re right that most people here aren’t Brits. I am, though. And most Brits don’t give a toss about the royals full stop, let alone what is spent on Meghan and Kate’s wardrobes. (People did get somewhat up in arms about Eugenie’s wedding).
Carole Middleton will explode if this happens. Evil Sammy and Thomas will dine on this for days if true.
And if QEII likes Doria enough not to care, good for her!
Doubt it. I think Carole is in a good and assured place. It’s not like the Queen and she can’t stand each other. The Moaning Markles on the other hand will explode.
This is a good gesture for the two single parents.
Moaning Markles!!!!! 🤣
@Alexandria – ITA. The Middletons have a nice estate, four grandchildren now, and William and Kate from the get-go, if I remember, broke with tradition and started alternating Christmases between their two families, as many couples do. Christmas at Sandringham, like visits to Balmoral, are alleged to be horrible and boring, requiring endless changes of clothes, observance of protocol, and most people are relieved when they can leave. It’s nice of TQ of course, if true, to have Harry’s wife’s mother, whose only child Meghan is, over for Christmas, but IMO the deal being made of this is staggeringly silly.
The Middletons don’t need invites to the Big House – they have much nicer homier Christmases at their estate. Their daughter is married to a future King, her son is a future King, and nothing anyone else does or where they spend Christmas really matters in the long game.
The Middletons down own an estate. They have a nice, large country home in Berks.
Indeed, the only time the Mids are seen with TQ is when Willy throws a fit and demands it, just like he did with the staged paps shots of TQ and Ma grinning while in a range rover with TQ at Sandringham. Being invited to Xmas dinner with TQ is a very very big deal, the only other inlaw who gets an invite is Sophie’s father who is a widow. The Mids would kill for an invite to the big house but they come as a clan, so if one gets in invite the others will tag along.
Now that Pippa and TMW James have a new son do you think they’ll spend Christmas with James’ family? Or maybe choose to host Christmas at their place? It will be interesting to see where the Cambs spend Christmas this year.
There’s a picture of Carole and Liz together in a range rover?
This one: https://bit.ly/2JGyJPG
Ooh, thanks @Digital Unicorn. I wonder if that picture replaced Prince William as her phone background!
You know, this makes the Windsors seem very snobby, tbh. Excluding the Middletons from Christmas after many years hmm. Interesting that nobody else reads it this way lol.
Romana, the Queen invites Sophie’s middle class father and has for years. Not snobby but rather whether or not she likes the in-laws in question. She doesn’t like Clan Middleton.
I wonder if we’ll get the annual article on the Middleton Family So-Normal Christmas celebrations.
Or the yearly Fail article moaning about how they are the only Grandparents of a future King who hasn’t got a title – oh the shame!!! There was one every xmas for about 4/5 years after the wedding thats how we know Carole is desperate for one.
Or another Carole Real Royal Family (TM) Boxing Day shoot complete with demanding the royal discount.
That would be really nice…
my thoughts exactly!
I remember reading that the Queen wants her whole family around at Christmas, so it absolutely makes sense that she’d invite Doria and Sophie’s father too so they dont have to be alone.
This. She likes everyone in one place where they can spend time together. And I get that. I know it can be hard with marriages and traditions between families. But we have a similar thing. My grandmother is the only remaining grandparent between my husband and I. She actually turns 93 tomorrow. I put my foot down early in our relationship that I will always spend Christmas day afternoon/evening with my grandmother – even if it means us being apart. But it works out well for the most part – we go to my inlaws on Christmas Eve, as well as Boxing day. Spend xmas morning with my parents, then to my grandmothers for supper with my cousins/aunts/uncles. And my grandmother has always made it clear that my husband is just another one of her grandkids. She adores him.
I miss my grandmother so much it hurts sometimes. Please give your mimi a massive hug.
I would not be surprised at all if she was invited – as was pointed out, the queen has invited Sophie’s dad for years reportedly so its not completely out of nowhere. And I can also believe that the Middletons were invited, especially if there was a desire to ensure Kate and William’s presence.
Now I am not sure if we will see her doing the walk to the church, but it also looks pretty bad to have her come all the way from LA and then to make her stay behind for that part of it (even though Sophie’s dad misses the walk, right?)
Oh and to answer the question @Kaiser….I think Will and Kate spent Christmas in Berkshire the year she was pregnant with George and then the year Charlotte was born (so 2012 in Berkshire, 2013 and 2014 with the royals, 2015 in Berkshire? I think 2015 was the year they did a little version of the church walk and Carole set up the hunt for William etc.)
If the Mids had been invited you can bet we would have known about it – they would have leaked it to the Fail to show off how ‘in’ with the RF they are.
@digital Unicorn that is funny bc after I posted I thought about it and was going to amend my response along those lines lol – that actually the Middletons prob have not been invited because we 100% would have heard about it.
The Middleton’s stayed at Amner Hall for Christmas a few times and we did hear about it. Sophie’s dad has never done the walk and neither have the middleton’s because it’s treated as an official engagement. I think we’ll see Doria. Harry and Meghan already had her take part in an official engagement with them. Will and Kate have always had her family stay in the background when they were included and never directly with the family in an official way aside from the wedding and such.
The Mids are usually at Amner as they tend to congregate there to celebrate Kate’s birthday which is around that time. And yes they do the walk into the church, often trailing behind the DoLittles where they mug for the camera’s. What they don’t do is the walk after the service but they have been papped curtsyin/bowing to TQ.
After the first year at Amner, when the Middletons moved in en masse and didn’t leave for 6 weeks? The brand new housekeeper and groundsman quit after only 5 months on the job.
I sincerely hope that this is true.
Mostly because the Queen seems to sincerely care about her family’s happiness at this point.
Also because Doria looks to be a wonderful mother who loves and protects her daughter.
And because a teeny bit of me gets a giggle watching the predictable butthurt screeching of the trashy Markles.
Ha ha, @Bunny – pretty much my thoughts too. I’m envisioning a fun, warm Christmas.
Yup. Exactly this.
I think would make perfect sense, and is also just really nice. I’d definitely want my own family around at Christmas time – especially if I were pregnant with my first child! And I hope Doria does move to London part-time (if she wanted to!), for her and Meghan’s sake. I can’t imagine moving to a foreign country and going through pregnancy, childbirth, and child-raising without my family to share it with and lean on now and again. I don’t see it as strange in the slightest for adult children to still be close to their parents and want them around – child of divorce or not.
Prince Philip and Doria walking to church together, would top driving with the Queen.
Poor Philip had to sit next to Fergie in the wedding pictures, maybe that’s enough.
Doria isn’t anything like Fergie. I’m sure the Queen and Prince Phillip don’t have any hard feeling surrounding Doria, why would they?
I know everyone goes on about Philip being a racist and heaven knows he’s done and said racist things in the past, but he’s also capable of being polite and kind to people. He and the Queen were very fond of the Obamas, by all accounts.
Bring it. I want more Doria in my life.
Me too!
Samantha is being nice to the Duchess on Twitter, while her aliases are continuing her attacks.
When she hears about this invite, she will flip her chair.
I’m sure she’ll say she was invited but Sandringham just isn’t wheelchair accessible. But the daddy wasn’t invited because of his poor health. Cue heart attack by December 24….
Such a lovely offer. But I can’t think of anything more weird than having to spend several days with people you don’t know at all (outside of your daughter and SIL), in a culture that’s pretty unfamiliar, with the Queen’s way of doing the holiday from the formal dressing to the structured meals.
I think Doria would enjoy the heck out of it. She is mature, calm and self-assured enough to see it as a wonderful life experience and to have the opportunity to share a part of the history of the event.
So for extra family like Meghan’s mom and Sophie’s dad, does that mean they actually attend the festivities at Sandringham with the rest of the royal family? They go to the dinner or whatever it is they do with their Germanic Christmas? Or do they stay in other accommodations on the property (Sandringham is a large estate?) and Sophie can go check on her dad/Meghan can go check on her mom and go back and forth between royal family Christmas/their own family Christmas? Kind of like how William and Kate do it with the Middletons at Anmer? I don’t think the Middletons have ever been invited to the official Sandringham Christmas meals? Sure they’ve been spotted going to church and at the hunt (?) but I think that’s it?
Also I would think maybe Doria would head to England at the end of November? Meghan is American, Thanksgiving is embedded into her DNA. I assume they would want to see each other for that holiday. Either that or Meghan would make a low-key visit to California to see her mom.
That’s a wonderful gesture, especially since Meghan has no family living in England. I hope it’s true!
This is such a lovely thing to do inviting Doria so she is not on her own over Christmas ans especially now that meghan is pregnant.
I think this is lovely esp given all the drama with the white trash Markles, Evil Papa Smurf will pop a blood vessel when he gets wind of this.
Karma is coming for the Markles, Thomas Jr has been selling stories about Daddy dearest to the press basically saying that Sr cheated on his mother, took coke, had sex holidays to the Phillipines and was generally a neglectful father to him and Scammy who was more interested in partying than his young family. There is a story in the Fail where Daddy doesn’t even try to deny it, just complaining about being sold out by his own flesh and blood. Pot meet kettle. The article also has an interesting quite from Jr, who said that if they turned up on Sr’s doorstep with a suitcase full of money then he’d talk to the press (a comment that he made before the engagement). What Jr has said has been true so far.
Germanic Christmas. I’m having a flashback to The Windsors! LOL!
LOLOL same!
Meghan is really pretty but her mom is striking. She’s just sooo lovely.
Agreed. Doria is such a pretty woman, gorgeous face and figure. I can’t believe she was married to that troll Thomas.
Yeah but Doria’s union with Mr Markle produced lovely Meghan.
I never really thought about Doria having never remarried. It’s none of my business, but I’m so curious about Doria’s real life. Like, surely she has close friends and romantic or former romantic partners, and some of those people have kids/grandkids Doria has watched grow up. She’s discreet but I’m guessing she also has a full social circle of people who know Meghan and are equally discreet.
Can Meghan employ her mum as her stylist?
This.
What I like about this is the British tabloids are putting the blame squarely on Sr Jr and Sam’s nasty attacks for no invite for them. The queen has announced to the world they are not worthy. I think they are quiet now because if they pick a fight with the queen they blow their chances with the baby.
Also it’s going around Twitter Sam may NOT be a Markle.
Samantha is losing it over needing proof about her DNA, they’re throlling her that she is not a markle.She did say her mom was a drunkard and a bar fly.
She is posting pictures of Meghan, claiming they have the same bump in their nose.
Samantha is off her rocker.
Sometimes I really love Twitter and this is one of them – the trolling of her is always entertaining and she engages every time.
Scammy is definitely Meghan’s sister, they look alike. Scammy is really quite pretty woman, pity she is not pretty on the inside.
I hope Doria is invited and I would believe the motivation was thoughtfulness, however, in addition the Queen and BRF also benefit from by having a POC join them.
MM’s only family IS her mother. I’m happy for her Momma that she can see her daughter on such a big holiday.
Me too. It’s not a big holiday to everyone, but it definitely is to the RF and could be really intimidating forr a new member, so it’s nice that they’re treating Doria as family.
WTF is up with “Germanic” Christmas meaning strict and gloomly and utterly controlled? The way Germans I know celebrate Christmas would knock the socks off any American! It’s huge and fun and joy-filled! Don’t blame Germany for Windsor rules.
I took German in University. I was terrified to walk into class the first day because my schedule had a mistake in it when I’d printed it, and I was late. I thought the prof was super angry and yelling at someone, so I waited until someone else with the same schedule mistake came along to enter. He was actually such a hilarious, excitable man but he was about 6’4″ and loud.
He’d tell us about how he and his brother would break into the wine super early on Christmas eve while decorating the tree -and use actual candles to do it. And more than one year they’d singed the ceiling haha. But from what I could tell it sounded like a blast of a time – lots of food, wine, and family.
I had an amazing glogg soaked xmas in Berlin one year.
I think this would be lovely, if true. Sandringham tends to be pretty crowded at Christmas, so I wonder if Harry and Meghan (and potentially Doria) will stay at Amner again?
It would be pretty unfair to expect Meghan to never Christmas with her own family again, so short of her & Harry spending the holidays in LA this makes the most sense.
This whole Christmas thing with the royals is very interesting. I get the idea that it is expected that they spend time with the royal family. And I think that the royal families noses are a bit out of joint regarding the fact that Kate and William could not care less about this tradition. I think Kate sees it as cold and formal. And Will loves the way the Middletons spend Christmas. I think they dread spending time in the cold Windsor castle and the formal dress etc. I think the Middletons sit around the Christmas tree in PJ’s. Personally, I think that there is little doubt that Charles is upset with Williams because he does play by his own rules and ultimately he will own it all so he does not need to bend to the will of his father. With that said. I am sure that Meghan would love to have her mother come. But does her mother really want to be there? It kind of sounds like a nightmare. Hence why many of Harry’s past girls left the relationship they didn’t want these restrictions.
Stories of the royal Christmases come out about the games, joke gifts, all of that. It sounds like a fun time to me, with one or two dress up for dinner nights.
Make no mistake, Charles has been indulging his son’s most of their lives, first when Diana manipulate his time spent with them and after her death.
That’s why both are petulant, when they don’t get their way.
The Queen may be on the throne, but Charles is running the Firm.
Why all the sudden leaks about William behaving badly towards his father.
I don’t think the Royal family nose is out of joint, the worst thing at holidays, is having someone, who don’t want to be there and is showing it.
William is the King at the Middleton’s, at Sandringham, he is another grandchild (though a heir in waiting).
Remember, Charles is next in line and he will be seventy soon, so King William, will be waiting a while to own it all.
TQ has invited Kate’s family previously as well, so I don’t see why this is any different? Some of the extended family stay a bit further away from the main castle where TQ resides at Christmas from what I recall of past events.
Because it’s a special “honor” only for MEghan, unlike Kate, don’t you know? The dailymail is ttrying to cause trouble.
No, she hasn’t. William and Kate have allowed her family to move in en masse to their grace-and-favour house at Sandringham at Christmas. Once. The housekeeper and groundsman quit right after that. The Queen did not invite the Middletons to stay at Sandringham House with her, which is what is being offered to Doria.
It seems like it was just Doria and Meghan for many years and it makes sense that she would spend Christmas with Meghan and Harry, especially since it seems like she might be alone if she didn’t. I think it’s nice. The Middletons had their own family, their own estate, and their own traditions and I can see why they’d want to have their normal family Christmas. From all accounts, Christmas at Sandringham is stuffy and very Victorian. Glad Meghan will have her mom around.
That would be a depressing thought. The rest of your life expected to spend Christmas with the royals.
HAHA right? How stressful
It is nice to include everyone of course at the holidays. I also think since Harry is in the group of people who are never going to be monarch like his other cousins, he should be paying his own expenses. It is 2018.
Royal gossip is fun but I’m an American so maybe the British think differently but monarchy is not acceptable, that someone by accident of birth is entitled to be King/ Queen is nuts. Not just Harry and the cousins but Elizabeth, Charles, William and George too.
Every country has things that others find unacceptable. (For me, it’s your guns).
As long as The Firm decides he is a working royal, his expenses are paid. Simple.
Must be nice to move to another country and not have to think about midterms and the republicans continuing to destroy our country. How freeing it must be to no longer have Trump as her president. I’m sure Megs is enjoying that
I just voted and noticed the republican party had NO female candidates on my California ballot. How nice of them.
To be fair, we’re not exactly free of political issues in the UK. If the worst of a hard Brexit happens, none of us will be immune from the food, medicine and fuel shortages and possible martial law that might ensue.
You’ll were an independnt country, you know? Is brexit really going to be the end of the world or is it just scaremongering for those opposing Brexit..?
Say that again, in English please. (If I can decipher your incoherent ramblings, yes, Brexit is going to be the end of the world. Look up M20 lorry park if you don’t believe me).
Following the story, someone posted on twitter (MrsFridayNext?) about now needing a charming romance written about the lovely single mother of a new Duchess falling in love with some appropriately aged British royal gent / retainer / something something and I thought that was SUCH a good idea, I want this to happen to Doria for real. Maybe a lovely handsome, appropriately aged Scott royal retainer who looks after the horses and land up north in a charming manor, and who has SAS background to boot, but doesn’t ever brag about it, including the times he was uncover and protected the queen. Who will take care of her and love her forever and ever. And has 5 golden retrievers. And lives by the coast, but near mountains.
Sigh…
Lol, this fanfic. Doria seems like a very elegant lady. I’m sure she has a good romantic life, but we won’t hear about it.
Yeah, silly, but fun, lol. I just want the best for her. More power to her for being able to keep things quiet and private. She does seem very elegant; you’re right. I think that’s why I like her so much. I truly hope she gets along great with the Queen.
A couple of things 1. I’d invite Doria for Christmas because I get cool person vibes from her 2. I don’t think this is a big deal. It’s an accomodation like for Sophie’s Dad – people who would be without their one close relative at Christmas. This does not apply to the Middletons who are together and have two other children. It is not the royal family saying they prefer anyone over the other.