Where is Meghan Markle from?

During her latest trip to Nigeria, Meghan Markle referred to Nigeria as “my country,” which is both endearing and a tiny bit confusing, for anyone keeping score.

It turns out the Duchess of Sussex took a DNA test and, surprise, she’s 43% Nigerian! She’s still 100% American, though, through and through! Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Meghan had a pretty typical American upbringing. She attended private schools, including Hollywood Little Red Schoolhouse and Immaculate Heart High School, an all-girl Catholic school in Los Angeles. Her mom, Doria Ragland, was a yoga instructor and social worker from Ohio, while her dad, Thomas Markle Sr., worked as a lighting director on TV shows. 

Meghan met Prince Harry in July 2016, and soon the couple announced their engagement in November 2017. However, after stepping down from their roles as senior royals, the two had been moving around a bit. They initially resided in Canada before settling in Montecito, Santa Barbara, California, where they currently live with their two children, Archie and Lilibet.

So Meghan is American, but what’s her ancestry like?

On her father’s side, Meghan has Dutch and Irish roots. On her mother’s side, Meghan descends from the Ragland family, whose ancestors were slaves. Records indicate that the family traces back to Richard “Dick” Ragland, born into slavery around 1792 in Chatham County, North Carolina. His son, Stephen Ragland, lived in Jonesboro, Georgia, during the abolition of slavery. Interestingly, Meghan has a bit of Cornish ancestry mixed in there too, as the slave owners had migrated from England to America. 

Now that Meghan Markle’s DNA test has spilled the beans on her heritage, Meghan has been honored with the “Adetokunbo” title by the Yoruba King of Nigeria. This Yoruba name means “The crown or royalty from a foreign land.” It’s beautiful, and perfectly captures Meghan’s unique heritage and her role as a royal figure hailing from across the pond. 

The move comes as part of the Sussexes’ mission through their Archewell foundation to make a positive impact with charity. They have partnered with the Geanco Foundation to support crucial causes in Nigeria, like sponsoring surgical missions and promoting maternal health. And sure, this is all getting some good PR.

However, the Royal Family back in the U.K. isn’t exactly happy about this situation. Since Harry and Meghan stepped back from being Royal officials, anything they do seems to ruffle some feathers. Honestly, does that matter here? Meghan’s out there doing everything she needs to for her people. So, whether it’s with a tiara or without, she’s still serving up, just on her own terms!