On Friday (January 9), speculation surrounding an alleged rift between Meghan Markle, 44, and her mother, Doria Ragland, 69, ran rampant online.
The rumors reportedly stem from Markle’s reality series, With Love, Meghan, which was released in March 2025. Insiders close to the Duchess of Sussex argued that a line from the show highlighted differences between the mother and daughter and hinted at a falling out.
Highlights
- Rumors of a rift between Meghan Markle and her mother, Doria Ragland, erupted online after insiders claimed a line in With Love, Meghan was a dig at the latter.
- Netizens viewed Ragland’s reduced presence in the series and alleged absence from the Sussexes’ home as possible signs of tension.
- Some users speculated that Ragland had “bailed” on her daughter as she no longer enjoyed royal “perks” following Markle’s move to California.
Netizens interpreted the comment as proof of a rift between mother and daughter, believing it stems from Doria's alleged bitterness over Markle’s decision to leave the royal family.
“She didn’t do anything for Meghan out of motherly love; rest assured, she benefited financially from Meghan’s marriage to Harry,” one person commented.
Sources claimed there was tension between Meghan Markle and her mother, Doria Ragland
Image credits: Getty/Diego Cuevas
Some netizens have speculated Ragland, who was once a frequent presence at the Sussexes' California home, had “bailed” on the royals.
RadarOnline first reported rumors of Markle allegedly freezing her mother out of her life on Friday. Sources close to the family suggested that the point of contention between the mother and daughter comes from a line in Markle’s reality series.
Image credits: Getty/WPA Pool
In an episode, Markle used the phrase “a free spirit” to describe Ragland, a social worker who previously worked as a makeup artist and yoga instructor. According to one insider, the wording was a deliberate attempt by Markle to allegedly take a dig at her mother.
Image credits: Netflix
"On the face of it, it sounded warm, but among those who know them, it came across as a quiet step back,” the insider said.
According to some netizens, the comment implied Ragland wasn't around during Markle's childhood, a claim connected to long-running rumors of Ragland’s issues with law enforcement.
Sources also speculated that the alleged dig revealed the mother and daughter’s “different ideas about parenting and family.”
Image credits: Getty/Stefanie Keenan
Another source added, “It came across less as praise and more as a subtle point of difference."
In the past, Ragland reportedly stayed at Markle and Prince Harry’s California residence for extended periods. A separate source shared that she was closely involved in caring for the couple’s children, Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4, but was “no longer living there.”
Netizens speculated that resentment and manipulation caused Meghan Markle’s fallout with her mother
The insiders’ claims led netizens to speculate about Markle and Ragland’s alleged rift, with several people viewing the latter’s limited screen time in her daughter’s reality series as a possible indication of the same.
On Reddit, one user noted that Ragland’s appearance in the first season was brief and “not warm.” Moreover, she did not appear in the second installment and was only mentioned once.
Image credits: Getty/WPA Pool
The user further speculated that Ragland wasn’t fully accepting of Markle and Prince Harry’s departure from the royal family, which may have caused a rift between them.
“Something tells me she wasn’t fully on board with the Sussexodus,” one user said.
Image credits: Getty/Chris Jackson
Others felt that the mother-daughter pair had similar personalities, accusing them of being manipulative and describing them as “grifters.”
One person wrote, “D and M very much mirror each other’s personalities. And that’s when relationships can be the most volatile when disagreements happen.”
With Markle stepping back from royal duties, netizens speculated that Ragland no longer enjoyed the same “perks” as before and had “bailed” on the family.
Image credits: Instagram/meghan
“I guess Doria doesn't get her allowance anymore, so she bailed. Like mother, like daughter,” another user commented.
Ragland's limited appearances with her daughter, public or televised, added further fuel to the speculation, with some arguing that the 69-year-old was keeping a low profile because of her rumored jail time.
Meghan Markle's mother was falsely accused of serving jail time
Image credits: Netflix
In the past, Ragland's reputation has been similarly threatened by online rumors surrounding her legal history, with netizens accusing her of being absent during Markle’s childhood.
During an episode of Britain’s Newsroom, aired on December 4, 2025, reporter Carole Malone alleged that Markle was raised by her now-estranged father as Ragland “was in jail” during her childhood.
Image credits: Harper’s BAZAAR
Days after the incident, a spokesperson for the Duchess denied the claims in a statement given to People on December 16, 2025.
"Ms. Ragland proudly raised her daughter and has never been in prison,” they said.
Malone apologized and retracted her comments, citing online misinformation as the basis for the controversial claim. However, Markle’s spokesperson argued that the apology was made “to escape a defamation lawsuit.”
"No real surprise." Netizens believe Meghan Markle is to blame for the alleged falling out
