No shade to the bride, but one of our favorite aspects of Meghan Markle’s spring wedding to England’s Prince Harry was her incredibly elegant mother, Doria Ragland. And on Thursday, Ragland joined her daughter at Kensington Palace for a luncheon to celebrate the launch of Together: Our Community Cookbook, which she created with the women survivors of 2017's Grenfell Tower fire in London.
It was the first time Ragland has been spotted in England since the internationally-viewed May 19 nuptials, but in the months since, she has been rumored to be moving to London to be closer to her only child. According to The Cut, she introduced herself as “Meg’s mom” as she helped the Duchess, wearing a black sleeveless turtleneck top and pleated black skirt under a fantastic cobalt blue coat by Smythe, prepare recipes of coconut chicken curry, aubergine masala, baba ganoush and chapatis.
As reported by Glamour, Ragland, who reportedly also embraced all of the women, and Prince Harry beamed in pride as the duchess spoke about the cookbook, which benefits the community kitchen started by survivors of the fire:
[T]he power of food is more than just the meal itself. It is the story behind it. And when you get to know the story of the recipe, you get to know the person behind it. And that’s what we’re talking about in terms of coming together, to really engage and talk, and to be able to celebrate what connects us rather than what divides us. That, I believe, is the ethos of Together ...
So, to the women of the Hubb Community Kitchen, thank you so much for allowing me to be part of this adventure with you. I’m so privileged to know you. I’m so excited to see the projects you’re going to continue to do in your own community and the community at large, and also how you’re going to inspire people globally by sharing your stories and your recipes. It’s so impactful. You can see, just in a few days alone—and the book’s not even out yet—what you’ve been able to do. That’s a testament to what this means to people, and I’m so proud of you.
Of course, since her engagement, the most visible members of Markle’s family have been her estranged father and sister, Thomas and Samantha Markle, who have been relentless in their attempts to leverage Meghan’s fame into gains of their own, much to the chagrin of the royal family—and many royal watchers.
Thursday’s appearance by Ragland not only refueled rumors that she’ll be relocating (or has already moved) to London, but made it abundantly clear that she, unlike her ex-husband, is a welcome part of her daughter’s new life. While her future plans remain unconfirmed by the royal family, Harry looked on fondly at the two—and maybe stole a few samosas—throughout their afternoon together.