Doria Ragland Reveals One Of Her Biggest Fears About Meghan Markle
Meghan Markle's mother Doria Ragland continues to open up about what she wishes she had done differently to prepare her daughter to face the cruelties of the world.
In the first installment of Prince Harry and Markle's highly-talked-about Netflix docuseries, "Harry and Meghan," Ragland expressed regret about not having discussed race enough with her daughter, something that would later come back to haunt both of them. With Markle experiencing blatant racism from British tabloids due to her mixed-race heritage, Ragland confessed that she didn't get the chance to sit down and have a "race talk" with her daughter when she was younger. "As a parent, in hindsight, I would absolutely like to go back and have that very real conversation about how the world sees you," she admitted in one episode.
With the second part of "Harry and Meghan" now available for streaming, Ragland once again got real about offering inadequate help to her daughter throughout the struggles she faced as a new member of Britain's royal family.
Doria Ragland said she 'couldn't protect' Meghan Markle
It's no secret that Meghan Markle went through serious emotional and mental turmoil when she and Prince Harry were still senior members of the royal family. In the fourth episode of "Harry and Meghan," she revealed that the hounding of the media had adversely impacted her mental health to the point that she contemplated taking her own life.
"All of this will stop if I'm not here and that was the scariest thing about it — it was such clear thinking," she said (via The New York Times). Meanwhile, her mother, Doria Ragland, shared that she felt completely helpless in the situation, as neither she nor Harry could do anything to make it all go away. "That she would actually think of not wanting to be here... That's not an easy one for a mom to hear," Ragland said through tears. "And I can't protect her. H can't protect her."
Thankfully, ever since moving across the pond to the U.S., Markle has begun to heal and move forward. She continues to make an effort to raise more mental health awareness to help others. "I don't want anyone to feel alone," she said at the Ripple of Hope Awards gala (via Page Six). "We all need to, if we feel brave enough, to just speak honestly about our own experience. It gives other people space and the courage to do the same. But more than that, to really feel like you're not alone because I think that is often what can be the largest hindrance when you feel that way. You don't see a way out."
If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 or by calling 1-800-273-TALK (8255).