MEET THE MARKLES
Meghan Markle’s family tree – from dad Thomas Markle to her half-sister Samantha
FOLLOWING her marriage to Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and her family have been thrust into the spotlight.
From her parents to her half-siblings - here’s everything you need to know about the Duchess of Sussex’s family tree.
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Who’s in Meghan Markle's family?
Since marrying Prince Harry in May 2018, Meghan Markle’s family tree has grown.
The Duchess has since welcomed two children - Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor and Lilibet Diana.
The youngsters join a long list of Meghan’s relatives - including her mother Doria, her father Thomas, and her two half-siblings.
Who's Meghan Markle's son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor?
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Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor is the first-born child of Prince Harry and Meghan.
The couple welcomed their son into the world on May 6, 2019, and two days later they beamed as they publicly introduced their new bundle of joy to the world.
Baby Archie was born at the Portland Hospital in London and was christened two months later in the private chapel at Windsor Castle.
The youngsters' godparents are Prince Harry's nanny Tigger Pettifer and his close friends Mark Dyer and Charlie von Straubenzee.
Who's Meghan Markle's daughter Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor?
Harry and Meghan’s family later grew in 2021 after the arrival of their second child - daughter Lilibet Diana.
She was born on June 4, 2021 - and her name is a nod to a nickname for the Queen when she was young, while her middle name is an ode to Princess Diana - Harry's mother.
Lilibet, on the other hand, has a world-famous filmmaker as a godparent in Tyler Perry.
While their parents may have stepped back from life as working royals, Archie and Lilibet still enjoy a life of luxury.
When the couple left the UK they traded Frogmore Cottage for a £11.5million mansion in Montecito, Los Angeles.
The home is nothing short of breathtaking and has nine bedrooms, 16 bathrooms, a movie theatre, an arcade, and a spa.
At the time of writing, Archie is 6th in line for the throne and Lilibet sits 7th on the royal list.
Who's Meghan Markle's dad Thomas?
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Thomas Markle, born July 18, 1944, is the father of Meghan Markle.
He is a retired Hollywood lighting director who worked on a number of iconic US shows such as Married With Children and General Hospital.
Away from the bright lights, Thomas was married to Meghan’s mum Doria Ragland.
The former couple wed in 1979 before separating when Meghan was just two years old.
They later divorced in 1987.
In September 2023, Meghan Markle was branded ‘’cruel’’ by Thomas - who said his daughter holds the power in her relationship with Prince Harry.
Speaking live from the US on Good Morning Britain, Thomas made an emotional plea in a bid to see his grandchildren.
Meghan’s father said he was desperate to be reunited with his grandkids and thought it was "cruel" he was being denied this by his daughter.
Meghan and her father’s relationship has been strained since she married into the Royal Family in 2018.
Who's Meghan Markle's Mum Doria Ragland?
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Meghan Markle’s mum, Doria Ragland, was born on September 2, 1956, in Ohio - before later relocating to California.
The Duchess has previously referred to her mother as a ‘’yoga instructor and social worker’’.
In September 2022, Meghan shared a sneak peek into her relationship with her mum Doria during an episode of her former podcast Archetypes.
She then played what she described as the "run-of-the-mill mother-daughter conversation".
Meghan explains how she was pulling the Archetypes episode together when her mum FaceTime called her.
She answered her phone saying "Hey mummy", to which Doria lovingly replied: "Hey, how's my girl?"
Meghan replied: "I'm okay, I'm hanging in there, it's okay. I'm recording right now. Do you want to see?
"We're just doing some podcasting. Can I call you back in a little bit?"
Her mum then tells her daughter she has "on a smiley face".
Meghan replies: "I have on a smiley face? I love you."
In the episode, a clicking noise can be heard, before Doria says: "I love you too, I'll see you on Saturday."
The Duchess then went on to explain the noise.
She said: "My mum, she did this thing I do, you may have heard this clicking sound that she was doing.
"All right gang, my mum literally just pulled out a reference of what I came up with as a cool handshake to do with her when I was about eight - which was snap, scissors, cut, chicken..."
Meghan then began giggling as she recalled the secret code the duo had, and said: "I'm 41 years old."
She added: "It just put me right back into the past thinking about my childhood and our little quirks together."
Who's Meghan Markle's half-sister Samantha Grant?
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Meghan has two half-siblings on her father’s side of the family - one of which is half-sister Samantha Grant, also known as Samantha Markle.
She is the eldest-half sibling of Meghan as the pair share the same father.
Samantha, who is a mother-of-three, is a former actress and model, who resides in Florida.
In March 2023, Meghan won a bid to have her half-sister's defamation lawsuit dismissed by a judge.
It came after the Duchess' US-based sister Samantha Markle revealed in 2021 that she was suing her sibling for "defamation and injurious falsehoods".
Who's Meghan Markle's half-brother Thomas Markle Jnr?
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Thomas Markle Jnr is the second half-sibling of Meghan and the son of Thomas Markle.
He was 14 years old when Meghan was born, and lived with his father, sister Samantha, and Meghan's mother when Meghan was young.
The father-of-two works as a window fitter and lives in Grant’s Pass, Oregon.
During a stint on Australia’s Celebrity Big Brother in 2022, Thomas Jnr admitted to his fellow housemates that he and his half-sister Meghan used to be close, but "money changed her" after she moved to Canada for work.
Who are Meghan Markle's nephews?
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As well as being a mother, daughter, and sister, Meghan is also an aunt to two nephews - Tyler and Thomas.
They are the sons of her half-brother Thomas Jnr and his ex-wife.
According to reports, Tyler works as a cannabis farmer in Oregon which was legalised in the state in 2015 for recreational use.
Meanwhile, Thomas was known to have been employed as a manager for a fast food chain - however, it is not known if he still holds this role.
In 2022, during an exclusive interview with The Sun, Tyler revealed he had turned his life around after hitting rock bottom when he was thrust into the spotlight thanks to his Auntie Meghan's relationship with Prince Harry.
He told of how he was in a "really great" place and planned to expand his cannabis empire with the launch of a new website that would stock CBD products such as vapes, gummies, and tinctures.
Who are Meghan Markle's aunts, uncles and cousins?
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Meghan has three uncles and one aunt.
She has two uncles on her father’s side and the remaining two on her mother’s side.
In 2018, the Duchess of Sussex's aunt Theresa and cousin Nick went for a fast food lunch in Sanford, Florida, after the live broadcast of Meghan’s wedding day.
More than 4,000 miles away Meghan and Harry were being married in front of 600 Guests at St George's Hall in Windsor.
Who else is Meghan related to?
It turns out Meghan has a host of famous and infamous relatives.
According to genealogists, she is distantly related to both William Shakespeare and Winston Churchill.
Research found Meghan is the Bard's fifth cousin 13 times removed on her mum Doria's side.
She is a sixth cousin five times removed of Prime Minister Churchill through British settler Zachariah Howe.
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