Meghan Markle’s mom says she is ‘very happy’

She will become a royal in-law when her daughter Meghan Markle marries Prince Harry at Windsor Castle’s St George Chapel next May.

But this morning, it was business as usual for Doria Ragland, who was seen heading to work after spending Monday at her home in Windsor Hills in Los Angeles as the world absorbed the news of her daughter’s engagement.

The 61-year-old works as a wellness counselor for Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services – a Los Angeles-based organization specializing in treating substance abuse.

As she arrived for work, she said she was ‘very happy’ to photographers.

Clinic locations are in Culver City and Inglewood, both a short drive from the mother-of-one’s modest green-painted home.

Watchful eye: Meghan’s mother is being accompanied by security – just like her daughter who now has a Scotland Yard bodyguard

Back to the old routine: Doria Ragland confirmed her normal routine will be unaffected by becoming mother-in-law to a royal as she got back to work in Los Angeles on Tuesday

Back to normal: Doria Ragland got ready to head for work in Los Angeles the day after her daughter Meghan Markle revealed her joyful engagement to Prince Harry 

The pair inspect Meghan’s engagement ring, which includes a large diamond from Botswana, during their first TV interview last night

Choosing Windsor Castle means the Queen and Prince Philip can easily travel to the wedding of the year and the royal family will pay for it

They will shun a large wedding at Westminster Abbey or St Paul’s for a more intimate church service at St George’s where his father married Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, in 2005, and Prince Edward married bride Sophie Rhys-Jones in 1999 (pictured)

On Tuesday, Doria was seen paying a home visit to a low-income apartment complex in Marina del Rey, accompanied by her security officer and a co-worker.

Dressed in a loose black dress, a patterned headscarf and stacked wedge heels, the therapist refused to comment on her daughter’s engagement and strode past waiting photographers with her head down.

Doria has never commented publicly on her daughter’s relationship with Prince Harry but was photographed with the newly engaged couple at the closing ceremony of the Invictus Games in Toronto at the end of September.

On Monday, she released a statement along with ex-husband Thomas Markle Sr, 73, declaring herself ‘incredibly happy for Meghan and Harry’.

It continued: ‘Our daughter has always been a kind and loving person. To see her union with Harry, who shares the same qualities, is a source of great joy for both parents.

‘We wish them a lifetime of happiness and are very excited for their future.’

A second notice issued by Kensington Palace asked media to keep their distance from Doria, although on Monday, a media scrum that included camera crews from ABC News and Inside Edition could be seen on her doorstep.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding will take place at St George’s Chapel in the grounds of Windsor Castle in May because it is a place ‘close to the couple’s hearts’

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding will take place at St George’s Chapel in the grounds of Windsor Castle in May because it is a place ‘close to the couple’s hearts’

‘It’s such exciting news!’: Pregnant Kate reveals her joy at royal engagement

The Duchess of Cambridge displayed her neat baby bump in a Kate Spade dress as she stepped out at an art gallery in London just hours after Meghan Markle hailed her ‘amazing’

The Duchess of Cambridge said she’s ‘absolutely thrilled’ for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle as she stepped out in London a day after her brother-in-law’s engagement announcement.

The pregnant mother-of-two displayed her neat baby bump in a figure-skimming Kate Spade dress, which she offset with burgundy accessories, as she arrived at the Foundling Museum in London.

Discussing Monday’s happy news, the Duchess said: ‘William and I are absolutely thrilled. It’s such exciting news.

‘It’s a really happy time for any couple and we wish them all the best and hope they enjoy this happy moment.’

Her appearance comes just hours after Meghan Markle hailed her ‘wonderful’. Miss Markle said the Duchess of Cambridge had been ‘wonderful’ to her, while Harry said both William and Kate had been ‘amazing’. 

The mother-of-one spent most of yesterday inside her home, with a friend arriving around midday to walk her dog, Sam.

Meghan is the only child of Doria Ragland and Thomas Markle, although the latter has two older children with his first wife Roslyn Loveless, now 72: Samantha Grant, 53, and Thomas Jr, 51.

Tom Jr is yet to comment on news of his sister’s engagement but in September told DailyMailTV that his sister is a ‘hot commodity’ and that Harry needed to hurry up and propose – advice he appears to have heeded.

The 51-year-old also extended an invitation to his own upcoming wedding to Darlene Blount, 37, to Meghan and Harry and has previously offered to throw the royal a bachelor party in Las Vegas.

His mother Roslyn has also reacted to the news, telling DailyMail.com that she thinks the engagement is ‘absolutely wonderful news.’

She added: ‘I’m really happy for them and I hope they’ll be happy together and have a great life.’

Asked how she thinks Meghan will cope with the transition from actress to princess, the mother-of-two added: ‘You and I both know that Meghan is very well educated.

‘She’s worked in a professional, public life forever. She’s been in the TV industry forever. She’s very well educated and she’s had a lot of exposure to the public. She’s going to be just fine.’

Her daughter Samantha has also opened up on the engagement, speaking to Good Morning Britain from her Florida home and telling them the news is ‘lovely’.

Of her father, Tom Sr’s reaction, she said: ‘I can say that he’s excited and very proud and naturally, as you can imagine, very happy because doesn’t every father want his daughter’s happiness?

‘He knows that she’s happy and moving forward I can say that he’s elated, as we all are. We really want her to be happy and we are.’