Since 2020, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have lived in Montecito, California, where they’ve enjoyed privacy from the glare of the British tabloid press. In the two years since they stepped down from their official roles as working royals, the couple has created a low-key life for themselves and their two children, Archie Mountbatten-Windsor and Lillibet Mountbatten-Windsor, stateside.
When the news first came out about their major life change, members of the public weighed in on what they thought about the decision. Even those close to the couple spoke on the topic, with Queen Elizabeth II having released an official statement on the matter.
Another person close to the couple who was reportedly happy that the Duke and Duchess of Sus𝓈ℯ𝓍 took a step away from the royal family was Doria Ragland, Markle’s mother. After her daughter voiced her struggles about being in the spotlight while also being a new mother, Ragland was said to be fully supportive of the couple’s decision to back away.
According to The Mirror, Ragland was reportedly worried about her then-38-year-old daughter having such a heavy spotlight on her. A friend of Markle’s told the tabloid that Ragland was fully supportive in light of the announcement the duke and duchess made about stepping down from being senior royals.
“Doria is very much about being true to oneself and so, of course, she will continue to encourage Meghan to take the road less travelled (sic),” the source said. Markle had apparently experienced panic attacks and been “miserable” while she lived in the United Kingdom, and she “wasn’t sleeping well” at the time.
Meghan Markle, Doria Ragland (2018), (Steve Parsons – Pool / Getty Images)
Markle faced unfair scrutiny from the English press which led her and her husband to take legal action against certain tabloids. She even expressed gratitude towards a reporter’s concern during the “Harry & Meghan: An African Journey” documentary in 2019.
“Thank you for asking because not many people have asked if I’m okay, but it’s a very real thing to be going through behind the scenes,” Markle said.
Queen Elizabeth released a statement in Jan. 2020 that confirmed Prince Harry and Markle would split their time between the U.K. and Canada. The press release read:
“My family and I are entirely supportive of Harry and Meghan’s desire to create a new life as a young family. Although we would have preferred them to remain full-time working Members of the Royal Family, we respect and understand their wish to live a more independent life as a family while remaining a valued part of my family. Harry and Meghan have made clear that they do not want to be reliant on public funds in their new lives. It has therefore been agreed that there will be a period of transition in which the Sus𝓈ℯ𝓍es will spend time in Canada and the UK.”
Markle jetted back to Canada in early 2020 to be with Archie who had stayed there with a 𝚋𝚊𝚋𝚢sitter. She was reported to be staying abroad while Harry sorted out the storm with the royal family. A friend of Markle’s said in the same interview with The Mirror that the duchess had no intention of returning back to the U.K. and had looked for houses in Canada.
In the end, however, rather than stay in Canada, the Sus𝓈ℯ𝓍es went on to settle down in California. Meanwhile, they later opened up publicly about their struggles within the royal family in a controversial interview with Oprah Winfrey in March 2021.
