Meghan Markle’s half sister Samantha has reportedly been hospitalised after an alleged confrontation with paparazzi.
Meghan Markle's mother has touched down in London ahead of her daughter's wedding day amid a family scandal dubbed the "Markle debacle" by UK media.
Doria Ragland, 61, touched down in London on Wednesday afternoon on a flight from Los Angeles and received the royal treatment upon arrival.
She was whisked to Heathrow's VIP Windsor Suite used by the royals for speedy progress through immigration and met by Meghan's personal assistant, Amy Pickerill.
Earlier, she had been spotted being picked up from her home in Los Angeles with a Burberry garment bag, suggesting she may opt to wear the British designer at the wedding.
The social worker and yoga instructor has been a major source of support for Meghan in the days leading up to the wedding that have seen her family drawn into scandal over staged paparazzi shots.
With two days to go, it's still unclear who will walk Meghan down the aisle. Her father, Thomas Markle, is set for heart surgery in the US on Wednesday, according to TMZ. Bookies have Ms Ragland as the favourite, although Prince Charles is also in the running.
Ms Ragland and her former husband were due to meet the royal family this week, including the Queen, Prince Philip, Prince Charles, Camilla and Prince William and Kate.
Instead, the parents are said to be barely on speaking terms as fallout continues over the photographs and media appearances from Samantha Markle, Meghan's half-sister.
Ms Ragland is said to be furious at her ex-husband Thomas Markle for the controversy — and for failing to stop his family from "trashing" their daughter ahead of her wedding to Prince Harry, The Sun reports.
Ms Ragland will stay with Meghan at luxury property Cliveden House on the night before the wedding and travel with her by car to the chapel.
A source close to the family said Doria's relationship with Thomas had already been put under strain as his family continued to badmouth their daughter.
Thomas Markle is due to have heart surgery today in the US.
The source told The Sun Online: "Thomas and Doria are currently barely speaking to one another. He is trying to make peace after everything that has happened.
"Their relationship had been hanging by a thread for months before the staged photo scandals. He had told friends that he wanted to come with the peace gesture for an appeasement before the wedding and his daughter's big day, but his recent actions have crushed that."
The source added: "The couple were also at odds with one another because of his other children speaking out so disrespectfully about Meghan in the last year.
"She had asked him to have them not do so, but little changed.
"Their divorce was quite acrimonious, and they really lived very separate lives and would only connect when necessary."
Reclusive Thomas was recently pictured leaving potted plants out the front of Doria's LA home in an apparent attempt to make peace.
Meghan's estranged family certainly haven't been shy at speaking out about the US actor ahead of the royal wedding.
Her half-brother Thomas Jr even wrote an open letter to Prince Harry, telling the 33-year-old royal to call off the upcoming nuptials, blasting it as a "fake fairy tale".
Thomas' letter, published in In Touch Weekly, warned: "As more time passes to your royal wedding it becomes very clear that this is the biggest mistake in royal history."
Half-sister Samantha Markle has also not held back in discussing Meghan and was even labelled a "vulture" by Piers Morgan for continually criticising the actor.
