Meghan Markle's Close Relationship With Oprah Winfrey Started With a Scary Moment For Her Mom

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While Meghan Markle and Oprah Winfrey’s close relationship will be on full display in the interview that airs this Sunday, not many know the true story of what brought the Duchess of Sussex and the talk show legend together. Someone who does know is royal expert Omid Scobie, who literally wrote the book on Meghan and Prince Harry with royal tell-all Finding Freedom, co-authored by Carolyn Durand. In a SheKnows exclusive, Scobie details how Oprah won Meghan over from the start — which, unfortunately, included a scary moment for mom Doria Ragland.

While Meghan was adjusting to life in London and settling in to the royal family, mom Doria was still in California fending off increasingly aggressive paparazzi. Unlike father Thomas Markle, who staged paparazzi photoshoots and gladly accepted payouts in exchange for details about his daughter, Doria just wanted to be left alone — enter Oprah.

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“Meghan was introduced to Oprah in 2017 through a close associate and friend of hers,” Scobie explains. “And I think for Meghan, it was incredibly special to her that Oprah was also there for Doria through some of those difficult moments with the press when Doria was finding paparazzi outside her home most days and there were letters coming through the door asking her to tell her side of the story.”

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“I think for her that was a scary moment,” Scobie continues. “And so for Oprah to be there by her side, not just supporting Meghan, but Doria as well, was really the sort of foundation of their relationship.”

There’s no better Los Angeles fairy godmother to have than Oprah Winfrey — and it makes perfect sense that Meghan would want to share this first tell-all interview with someone she knows has her best interests, and those of her family, at heart.

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Click here to see Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s complete relationship timeline.

Meghan Markle, Prince Harry
Meghan Markle, Prince Harry

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