Meghan Markle's Mom Spotted at L.A. Airport Ahead of Daughter's First Hosting Event as a Royal

Stephanie Petit
Updated

Will Meghan Markle have a special guest on hand as she comes into her own as a member of the royal family?

The Duchess of Sussex’s mother, Doria Ragland, was spotted catching a flight from LAX Airport in Los Angeles on Saturday. Ragland, who will celebrate her 62nd birthday this month, was dressed casually as an airline staff member helped with her luggage.

It’s believed that Doria was headed to London — and for a good reason! On Thursday, Meghan will host a celebratory event at Kensington Palace to mark the launch of Together: Our Community Cookbook, a passion project from Meghan to help raise funds for a community kitchen run by women affected by last year’s Grenfell Tower tragedy. Meghan, who wrote the foreword for the book, is set to help the women of the Hubb Community Kitchen prepare a meal based on their recipes before enjoying the feast with guests.

Whether or not Ragland attends, Prince Harry will be by Meghan’s side for her first hosting event as a royal.

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Meghan Markle and Doria Ragland
Meghan Markle and Doria Ragland

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Ragland, a social worker and yoga instructor in Los Angeles, has a close relationship with her daughter and was the only member of Meghan’s family to attend the royal wedding in May.

“Meghan draws a lot of strength from her mother. Doria is classy, chic and confident, but not unapproachable,” Meghan’s longtime friend and wedding day makeup artist Daniel Martin previously told PEOPLE. “I definitely feel Meghan gets a lot of that from her mother.”

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Aside from her mom, Meghan’s first solo endeavor has drawn support from her close friends. Serena Williams, Priyanka Chopra, Abigail Spencer and Jessica Mulroney all praised the cookbook on social media.

“I used to call you Meghan (and I still do) but dear Duchess of Sussex your first project ‘Together’ a cookbook bringing women of all cultures together. I could not be more excited about it and proud of you,” Williams captioned a series of photos from the book. “It’s beautiful – diversity, inclusivity, coming together in grief or joy – there is just so much love.”