March 02, 2022 – 17:02 GMT
Nichola Murphy
Doria Ragland’s wedding: The Duchess of Sussex’s mother married Thomas Markle in 1979 in a faux-Indian temple on Sunset Boulevard after six months of dating.
While Meghan Markle, 40, was dating Prince Harry, 37, for around 18 months before they announced their engagement in 2017, going on to get married in 2018, the Duchess of Sussex’s mother Doria Ragland had a whirlwind romance with Thomas Markle before they tied the knot in 1979.
MORE: Meghan Markle’s mother Doria Ragland is the Duchess’ double in archived wedding photos
In fact, Meghan’s uncle, Joseph Johnson, told The Mail on Sunday: “None of the family knew anything about Tom until we got the wedding invitations.”
Loading the player…
WATCH: Mother of the royal bride: From Doria Ragland to the Queen
The couple met on the set of the soap opera General Hospital, where Doria was working as a make-up artist and Thomas was the lighting director. Despite their 12-year age gap, the pair became close and got married just six months later, when Doria was 23 and her husband was 35.
SEE: 11 celeb mother of the brides that looked incredible at their daughter’s wedding
RELATED: What royal engagement ring stones really mean: Princess Anne, Kate Middleton and more
Speaking of her parents, Meghan wrote in Elle: “It was the late Seventies when my parents met, my dad was a lighting director for a soap opera and my mom was a temp at the studio.
The Duchess’ parents got married in 1979, within six months of meeting
“I like to think he was drawn to her sweet eyes and her Afro, plus their shared love of antiques. Whatever it was, they married and had me.”
The pair said ‘I do’ at the Self-Realisation Fellowship Temple on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, a faux-Indian temple featuring gold accents, stone elephants and plastic Buddhas. It was founded by Indian yogi Paramahansa Yogananda, with Joseph explaining his sister “was fascinated by alternative religions and yoga” – and it was a passion she passed on to Duchess Meghan.
He continued: “It was a lovely wedding but not conventional at all.”
Doria at her daughter Meghan Markle’s royal wedding in 2018
As well as their unusual choice of venue, Doria also ditched the traditional wedding dress and wore a white buttoned-up shirt and skirt combo, finishing off her look with pretty white flowers in her hair. Meanwhile, Thomas wore a grey tweed jacket and orange shirt, and the Buddhist priest ‘Brother Bhaktananda’ was dressed in orange robes.
Doria and Thomas welcomed Meghan in 1981, but the couple split when she was six years old. Thomas was also previously married to Rosalyn from 1964 to 1975, and they share children Samantha and Thomas Jr.
READ: 7 royals who remarried after divorce: From Prince Charles to Princess Anne
Planning your wedding? Sign up to HELLO!’s brand new Bride Guide newsletter for expert advice, budget help, wedding inspiration and real life stories delivered straight to your inbox.
