09 June 2024 , 16:47
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Meghan Markle may be a globally famous icon but life hasn't always been plain sailing for the Duchess Of Sussex or her parents.
There has been a string of tragedies to affect both her mother Doria Ragland and father Thomas Markle including health issues, incidents of racism, and personal loss. The former couple first met while working behind the scenes on General Hospital back in 1979.
They eventually fell in love and moved to Los Angeles where they welcomed their sole child together Meghan, in 1981. They eventually split when Meghan was just two years old with her then spending her time between both her mum's and dad's homes.
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Doria is a key part of Harry and Meghan's lives (AFP/Getty Images)Marital woes
During the documentary Thomas Markle: My Story, Thomas confessed that he was not the most present father figure as he said: "It went well for a while but I wasn't home enough. Doria had other interests as well. What was going on in that household at that time wasn't making me happy.
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"Then we divorced after that. The whole family split up at that time. Doria moved with Meghan to a nice little house and I would see her on weekends and whenever I could."
In an interview with InTouch Weekly Thomas' son Tom Markle Jr. opened up on how he saw tempers fray between his father and his stepmother. He explained: "I saw the frustration, I saw the fighting, I saw all of this go down. Some of my dad and Doria's fights were pretty horrendous, pretty loud, a lot of yelling and screaming."
Racial prejudice
After Doria and Thomas moved to Woodland Hills in Los Angeles Doria found herself encountering racial prejudice in the predominantly white neighbourhood. Being the mother of a biracial child led to assumptions which Meghan previously highlighted in an interview with Elle where she explained, "There was my mom, caramel in complexion with her light-skinned baby in tow, being asked where my mother was since they assumed she was the nanny."
Doria has struggled with racial hatred (AFP/Getty Images)Doria's struggle with racism was further highlighted during an episode of Harry & Meghan when Meghan told how she had been to a concert at the Hollywood Bowl with her mom when someone honked their horn at her and called her the n-word. She explained: "I just remember my mom, the grip that her hands had on the steering wheel. You could, it was so tight, like the knuckles get all white, and she was just silent the rest of the drive home. We never talked about it."
Doria then admitted her regret at not discussing racism with Meghan more when she was a child. She said: "As a parent, in hindsight, absolutely, I would like to go back and have that kind of real conversation about how the world sees you."
Tragic loss
Doria lost her mum at 44 and then in 2011, just over a decade after that loss, her father Alvin passed away in a freak accident. Alvin had been out walking his dog when the lead got tangled around his legs. He then tripped and fell suffering a catastrophic brain injury which resulted in nine days in hospital and major surgery, but died of a brain bleed aged 82.
Bankruptcy
Thomas won the lottery in 1990 meaning he wasn't short on cash and funding Meghan's private school education. However, by 2016 he found himself bankrupt. Meghan was hoping in 2017 he would be walking her down the aisle at her wedding to Prince Harry but reports suggested he was embarrassed of the Royals discovering his financial situation.
Thomas is estranged from Meghan (GMB/Twitter)Meghan's half-sister Samantha Markle would later suggest in 2018 that Meghan would not help her father when he was struggling financially. She claimed to Inside Edition: "He was very clear with her about the fact that he needed some help and by his report, twice, she flatly refused. I live on a lot less than she does and he really had to chew on his pride to call me and ask me for help."
However, legal documents released in 2020 showed that Meghan was sending Thomas money from 2014 until she married Harry.
Thomas' health battles
Thomas found himself suffering two heart attacks prior to Meghan's big day meaning he missed her nuptials and King Charles ended up walking her down the aisle in his place. Thomas was later accused of faking the heart attack but presented medical documents to the Daily Mail to prove it happened. He said: "I had two heart attacks, the second of which the doctor called a widow-maker and nearly killed me."
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Then in 2022 Thomas suffered a stroke after a fall. In 2023 while speaking to Australia's 7News Thomas hit out at Meghan for acting like he was already dead saying: "I refuse to be buried by her." However, he also expressed his desire to reconcile with Meghan in light of his declining health stating when asked what he would say to her given the chance: "Let's go somewhere and talk. And I'd say, 'What's wrong? How can I fix this? ... Of course I love you.'"