Meghan Markle’s Mother Doria Ragland Spotted In L.A. Amid Duchess’ New York Baby Shower
Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle is in the final months of her first pregnancy with husband Prince Harry, and while it is not part of royal tradition, her friends in the United States have still come together to throw the soon-to-be mother a baby shower in the Big Apple, Harper’s Bazaar reported.
Meghan reportedly made the secret trip from London to New York on Friday, February 15, to relax and enjoy time with friends ahead of the main event of her trip — the baby shower — which sources confirmed was held on Tuesday, February 19. The celebration was attended by 15 of the duchess’ close friends, including her stylist pal Jessica Mulroney and former Suits co-star Abigail Spencer.
While many details of the event — including the full guest list — have been kept tightly under wraps, it is known that Meghan Markle’s mother Doria Ragland was not present for today’s festivities, as she was spotted in her Los Angeles neighborhood on Tuesday morning, the Daily Mail reported.
The 62-year-old was photographed wearing snow boots and a down parka jacket as she took her dog out for a walk, and was seen checking her phone a number of times during the outing, which the Daily Mail noted was around the same time Doria’s daughter Meghan was spotted out and about in New York City.
The news of Doria’s absence may come as a shock to some royal watchers, as she was the only member of Meghan’s family to attend her royal wedding to Prince Harry in May of 2018. There is no indication as to why Doria was not in New York for the shower, but Good Housekeeping noted that the reason behind her staying behind in Los Angeles may be because another small, more intimate gathering is in the works that would likely be attended or even hosted by Doria, if there is in fact one being planned.
EXCLUSIVE: Meghan's mother Doria Ragland walks her dog alone in LA while her daughter enjoys a swanky New York baby shower https://t.co/FHx7WSapzI
— Daily Mail US (@DailyMail) February 19, 2019
Another report from the Daily Mail today noted someone else that appeared to be absent from the day’s festivities in New York City — Meghan Markle’s longtime pal Priyanka Chopra Jonas, whom she has been friends with since meeting at an event in 2016.
A post from Priyanka’s Instagram account earlier in the day contained a geotag placing her in Beverly Hills, California, suggesting that she spent the day on the West Coast rather than joining Meghan in the Big Apple to celebrate her upcoming motherhood.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BuEr8cynqDM/
Priyanka was also in attendance at Meghan and Harry’s wedding last year, and while her absence today may raise questions, it is not necessarily an indication that she was not extended an invitation, but rather may have had a schedule conflict preventing her from attending the baby shower.
