Not shocking: the fact that the British tabloids are still obsessed enough with the Duchess of Sussex to write about her mother’s comings and goings. It’s also not shocking to see the Daily Mail try to make Doria Ragland sound like some kind of hippie bohemian. I wish they would get out Doria’s business entirely, but through their shadiness, I think Doria ends up looking pretty cool. Apparently, Doria will be teaching a jewelry-making class at a community college. I wish I could take it:
The Duchess of Sussex owns Cartier jewellery worth a fortune but her mother, Doria Ragland, has far simpler tastes. I can reveal that she has started a new job as a teacher showing students how to make hippy jewellery.
Doria, 63, who quit her post as a social worker at a mental health clinic after her daughter married into the Royal Family in 2018, is teaching at a community college in Los Angeles. Her classes show students how to design bohemian ‘floating’ pearl necklaces, create multi-strand bracelets and ‘linked necklaces’ made of wire. The lessons at Santa Monica College, which are currently on hold due to the pandemic, cost between £29 and £33 and are held at the campus nine miles from her home.
Meghan, who has gushed about her mother having a ‘free spirit’, recently moved into an £11 million mansion with Prince Harry and 15‑month-old Archie 90 miles away in Santa Barbara. Her mother’s biography on the college website states: ‘Doria Ragland is a local artist who has been designing jewellery and clothing for over ten years. She has participated in some of the finest art shows in the country and has received awards for her designs. She loves teaching and believes in wearing handmade jewellery.’
I was going to say that they’re trying to make Doria sound like she can’t just settle on one career, but they can’t even decide on how they want to portray her, honestly. It sounds like she’s just teaching a cool little jewelry-making class for fun and because she wants to do it. I mean, it’s not like she’s got a massive pot farm adjacent to her estate, right? If only Doria could be more like the Middletons and have a party-supply business which is merely a cover for a grow operation.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
Oh please please please, may security keep her safe.
Agreed. I just wish people will leave her alone.
There is actually a police station across the street from the campus (on Pearl St.), so help is close by if anything happens on that campus. I’d bet M&H have gotten a private security/bodyguard for Doria by now.
The police station on Pearl is for Santa Monica College police not the City of Santa Monica. That said, the City police are well versed in handling celebs.
I love this for her, sounds so cool!
I think Doria is kind of a “hippie bohemian” and I think she sounds delightful.
Yeah I don’t see how these words are inaccurate or insulting. I do think they were MEANT to be insulting but these days those words don’t have a negative connotation AT ALL.
I guess maybe she knows her community and knows that people will be cool at her classes, it does surprise me that she’s putting herself out there though.
You mean the people writing this are totally out of touch?? Shocking!
Yeah, I think so. I love to talk to people who are like that
My only objection is that it’s kind of anachronistic. Bohemians pre date hippies – and it’s a bit more of a timeless lifestyle philosophy. Plus, Moulin Rouge.
90% of the students will suspiciously have a British accent.
And their phones will “accidentally” be recording the class.
This sounds like something she enjoys, and wants to share her skills. I think that’s lovely, and I hope she has a nice time doing it.
Exactly! Sounds like a super fun class though.
I totally agree!!
The fall term at SMC is 100% online. I’m not sure how that works for classes — such as art– that are more hands on but they are not on campus. I live just blocks from SMC and it has been heavenly not having the students around. It’d be even more annoying if DM reporters start hanging out there. (I know it’s been terrible for our local economy and I see way too many empty storefronts these days but I did enjoy the time when we were tourist free as well. Obviously, I need to move to a small beach town!!!!!) Also, teaching 2 days/week at SMC doesn’t mean Doria won’t be spending a huge chunk of time in Santa Barbara. It’s not THAT far away—my parents live there and I make the trip on a regular basis.
Her class isn’t part of the main campus academic programs, so it’s not subject to campus department/operations requirements. I doubt it will be online (or maybe it will?). She will be teaching via the community education department. Open to all.
I’ve taken courses at several community education departments at CCs throughout the city. Classes are usually very small. 5-6 students at the most. Maintaining social distancing won’t be hard.
My guess at how online visual art classes would work is a format such as this:
1. Students buy the materials.
2. First online class provides instructions on the basic steps with time for questions and discussion.
3. Homework, work on the project independently
4. Use online forums to ask questions and interact with peers.
5. Second online class students present work, share challenges, get feedback from instructors, work with other students in Zoom breakout groups.
6. Repeat steps 2-5 with intermediate steps . . . and so on.
@bettyrose, I’ve taken some online art classes (specifically watercolor and drawing) since being in lockdown. Some online courses include the materials and a material pack is sent to students before the first online class, others just send out a list of supplies. You’re correct that the first class usually consisted of the instructor demonstrating techniques but in later classes, we worked along with the instructor and could ask questions. The instructor would also offer suggestions if you wanted to hold your work up to the camera and discuss techniques that you were having issues with so that the whole class could see it and also benefit from the suggestions. We had “homework” but as this was an adult ed type class, there were no real requirements. Some people were retired so they could spend a lot of time outside of class on assignments, others of us were working full time, even if it was from home, and didn’t have much time outside of class to work on outside assignments. Honestly, it was OK but not great as it can be hard to see what the instructor is doing and I assume they’re not getting the greatest view of your work to offer suggestions. This might be more of an issue for 2D visual arts though.
Isn’t Doria of retirement age? She probably retired when Meghan got married because of the press and now see does some projects to keep her busy. If they were offering it via zoom I’d probably sign up because it sounds like a fun little class.
The whole world royal family included would show up lol lol! Just to prove how ‘irrelevant’ the Sussex’s are you know 🙃🙃
In an ideal world, 65 is retirement age. In today’s U.S., plenty of people work past 70 to ensure they get the full social security pay out when they do retire. That’s nothing to do with Doria. It’s a dream to retire and teach art classes at a local college. Just throwing in a political message while the door’s open to it.
That’s what I thought, she’s retired, she quit working a few years ago. This and teaching yoga both sound like very fun and productive things to share her passions and still be contributing many positive things to the world in her retirement.
In that picture with the oatmeal ensemble, she looks so elegant and peaceful. Just hold me for a little bit Doria. (Ok, I’ll show myself out)
Hippie/bohemian isn’t really a slur where I’m from so I don’t know what they’re trying to get at. I live in a pretty liberal, upscale coastal area and I feel like every other person I know teaches yoga and jewelry/art classes. It’s nice.
Hippie/Bohemian is a big part of California culture. Santa Barbara farmer’s market is full of older chic boho types shopping for their organic vegetables and fruit (myself included) and Doria would fit right in. The most wonderful Boho chic clothing and homewares store is down the street from their house in Montecito-Wendy Foster/Pierre LaFond. Doria looks like a lovely, interesting and very California lady.
Not just for hippie/bohos. Julia Child was a regular shopper at that farmers’ market.
I like the surname Ragland so much more than Markle (not just because the Markle family are assholee, it’s the ring of the name that I prefer) that I’m kinda salty Meghan’s using the other name. I know, alliteration and all, but I still think Meghan Ragland would sound cooler.
Very unrelated to the story, I know, but as I said, I’m salty over this, and I’ll probably mention it a couple more times. :p
She doesn’t even use Markle anymore. She’s introduced as “Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex”. The only ones who use Markle are the media and not Meghan herself. As for her using it during her acting career, she used it because it was her surname and she wanted to. Not to mention, Thomas probably wasn’t the piece of shit he is now (I mean he always was but he was probably more “manageable” especially compared to now)
Ragland is my Mother’s family name. I have always liked it as well.
The alliteration is nice but she could have done “Rachel Ragland” if she wanted to stick with singsongy 🙂
Imogene, yeah, good call. But there’s some nice ring to MeGHAN RaGLANd, too.
My mom is 56 and has worked in corporate for most of her professional life. She wants to retire this year and do something simple, fun and not mentally draining. Sounds like this is something Doria is doing at the age of 63. At a certain age (honestly at any age), it’s ok to change your career completely.
I worked in social work for several years. It is and can be emotionally draining at times. You are expected to be everything, all the time and when you are not, you have your own issues.
I can just imagine the mental exhaustion in that field. Sometimes people are quick to blame social workers for missing signs of abuse, but the pain (and sometimes evil) they come across in their line of work must have an effect on their own mental health.
So they decided to write a story about a woman, who ain’t messing with them *checks notes* continuing not the mess with them.
Did Thomas Markle change is phone number or something?
😂😂 thank you for this. I needed it
Jewelry making hippie bohemian free spirit sounds all kinds of awesome to me.
Infinitely cooler than a wannabe Toff.
They desperately wanted her to show some evidence that she’d changed her lifestyle so that they could harass her for being uppity and a phoney, they would have loved that even more than they loved looking down their noses at the Middletons.
This. Doria is living her best life sharing her knowledge and passion within her community. She is someone to look up to.
I wanna be Doria when I grow up-I’m 60 ha ha 🤗🤣
So Meghan owns Cartier jewelry worth a fortune, but did any of these tabloid sniffers talk about the queen possessing priceless jewels of inestimable value? These micro aggressions and jabs are really ridiculous. They really had to get that shot in there. And at Doria’s age and her stage in life, she can do what she wants to do and take up whatever hobby she wants especially if she’s retired. I don’t know what the tabloids are insinuating since plenty of people take up avocations in later life and are good enough to teach. I just retired recently and if community classes were open, I’d be enrolled taking all these marvelous workshops.
First, it’s “hippie” not “hippy.” 🙄 F*ucking morons. Then, I would love to take her class(es)! I used to take fun, random, classes at the local community college … it’s not a full time job or educational path for either teacher or student, no matter how the Heil tries to make this sound like it’s her new career. It’s just fun for everyone. I mean she might clear enough to cover her gas and Starbucks.
They are fun! The last class I took at my nearest CC was “how to make tamales.” It was fun (and delicious!)
Goodnight nurse SO much shade!!!!!
It makes it seem like here’s poor Doria, teaching jewelry making classes for between £29 and £33 and there’s Meghan living in her £11 mansion 90 miles away…and what’s with the crack about it being “hippy jewelry” like its some sort of disease?????
We are the same age, Ms. Ragland and I, and I am an old hippie from way back. Still wear the clothing, and jewelry (which I buy from a friend of mine, another hippie) and make zero apologies for it.
If I had an ounce of coordination and talent I would make jewelry too, it seems like my friend just finds her calm doing it.
So go for it Ms. Ragland.
Will there be a website for purchases perhaps?
They are insinuating that how dare this unapologetically black woman quit her job to profit off her daughter (ie. teaching this frivolous thing at a community college isn’t enough to live off of) who profited off the BRF and now has this ill-gotten netflix money.
I hope she’s able to teach in peace! I wonder if there’s a way to vet the students so she’s safe? She seems like such a chill lady, I’d love to hang out with her for a day.
Anyone ever find out to whom that barn growing cannabis belonged?
The DM shut down that story so quickly that it really does make you wonder if there is a connection.
Glad they included the reported purchase price of Meghan’s home, very relevant. It takes a particular talent to basically describe somebody as a freeloader who quit her job once her daughter got married AND also that she shouldn’t have any job, how dare she AND also somehow imply that they all need money to pay for the new mortgage???
Betcha they thought she would be living in Santa Barbara?
I really hate when they write about Doria. She has been so amazingly restrained through all the harassing and abuse of her daughter. At one point I felt certain she was going to give in and go after Thomas Markle, but we now know where Meghan’s restraint came from because she has really risen above everything. I believe she has remained silent and restrained to not make it worse for Meghan, who would have had it even worse if Doria had told someone off. I honestly don’t know that I could have behaved with such restraint to be honest. Classy lady. This is why I hate when they write about her, because she’s never put herself forward to be in the spotlight at all, least they could do is just leave her alone.
I wish I were creative like Doria. I am the person who buys all the stuff and then it sits there collecting dust. But I think this is great and I’m glad she is doing something she apparently enjoys. And way to go Daily Fail mentioning the price of the home again. Lest we forget.
I would totally take her class! I don’t know why they make it sound like it’s a hippy dippy thing. I’ve taken jewelry making classes and those are the exact topics that were covered. Everything came out nice. It’s not macrame.
I would love to take a macrame class. During these stressful times I’ve been tying/untying knots into shoelaces, random strings on my comforters and afghans… I think it would be very soothing!
This is very offensive. Unlike Keen Katie’s family or the White side of Meghan’s, Doria has NEVER done anything to exploit her connection to British royalty. If the woman wants to teach a class about making ‘hippy’ (what kind of illiterate wrote the story?) then it’s nobody’s fucking business.
I hope Doria is left in peace and the lunatics who hate her daughter enough to travel to another continent to assault her, while she was pregnant, leave her alone
Good for her. She could easily retire and live in luxury but she’s more interested in sharing her knowledge. As she’s staying with the Sussexs more now I hope she has security. If my predictions are right I think she’ll have to be on baby duty (hopefully twins) next year so it’s good that it’s not a full time gig
Sounds fun, relaxing and a like great class you could take with a friend. Seems like Ms. Ragland is enjoying her 60’s.
Doria genuinely seems like a sweet and chill person who just enjoys living her life and doing what she wants to. She comes across as someone who is content to kind of let life take her where it takes her, living her life and minding her own business. Meghan is lucky to have had such a supportive mother and I’m happy for Harry that he has someone who seems to embrace and support him too.