Doria Ragland, 69, will not be accompanying her daughter Meghan Markle and Prince Harry should they return to the United Kingdom, sources have indicated.
The Sussexes are reportedly planning a temporary return to Britain in the coming days, with the intention of enrolling their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, in British schools. Ragland, who has been a consistent presence in the family's life since their relocation to the U.S. in 2020, is said to be settled in California.
Ragland resides in a bungalow outside Los Angeles and has maintained a close bond with her grandchildren, frequently spending time with them and providing childcare. This contrasts with the children's paternal grandparents, King Charles and Queen Camilla, who had their first in-person meeting with Archie and Lilibet in July, after four years.
Sources cited by TMZ suggest Ragland's decision to stay in the U.S. is influenced by her contentment in California, where she has established friendships and pursues her interest in yoga. She lives within a two-hour drive of the Sussexes' Montecito mansion and has access to both the main house and a guesthouse on the property.
The potential move back to the UK has been described by sources as a 'temporary decision' and a 'day-by-day decision.' Ragland's role in the family was highlighted in 2022 when she cared for Archie and Lilibet in Montecito during the period following Queen Elizabeth II's death, while Meghan and Harry were in the UK for official engagements and funeral services.
Meghan Markle has previously spoken about the difficulty of being separated from her children, as she was during the three-week period of mourning in 2022. Ragland, a social worker and yoga instructor, has largely stayed out of the public eye since the 2018 royal wedding, where she attended solo as Meghan's father, Thomas Markle, did not attend.
Despite her general avoidance of the spotlight, Ragland has occasionally appeared in photos and videos shared by her daughter. In May, she joined Meghan, Harry, Archie, and Lilibet for a Mother's Day outing at Disneyland. 
In 2020, a source told The Mail On Sunday that Prince Harry, who lost his mother at a young age, relies on Ragland for advice and views her as a supportive figure, describing her as having a "core of steel" and being discreet. Harry previously described Ragland as "amazing" in a 2017 BBC interview. She also stayed with the couple at Frogmore Cottage for six weeks after Archie's birth in 2019. Ragland, born in Ohio in 1956, moved to Los Angeles as a baby and has lived there ever since.