Doria Ragland Was in Mom ‘Mode’ With Meghan Markle During Surprise ‘Archetypes’ Appearance
TL;DR:
- Meghan Markle’s mother, Doria Ragland, FaceTimed her during the recording of the Nov. 1 episode of Archetypes.
- According to a body language expert, Doria Ragland’s voice signaled she was in mom “mode.”
- Meanwhile, Meghan Markle adopted a more “childlike state” by changing her tone of voice to match her mother’s.
Meghan Markle’s Archetypes podcast features different guests with every episode. However, one installment all about mothers featured a surprise appearance from her mom, Doria Ragland. Ahead, learn what a body language expert had to say about what the Duchess of Sussex called a “run-of-the-mill mother-daughter conversation.”
Meghan Markle had a ‘run-of-the-mill mother-daughter conversation’ with Doria Ragland on the Nov. 1 episode of ‘Archetypes’
While recording the Nov. 1 episode of Archetypes where Meghan, per the Spotify description, delved into the roles of “Good Wife/Bad Wife, Good Mom/Bad Mom,” she got an unexpected call from her mom.
“So, a few weeks ago while I was working on this very episode, my mom called,” Meghan said before clarifying Ragland “actually FaceTimed.”
“Oh sugar, my mom’s FaceTiming me,” Meghan could be heard saying in the outtake. She answered the call with, “Hey, Mommy,” to which Ragland replied, “Hey, how’s my girl?”
“Hey, I’m OK, I’m hanging in there. It’s OK, I’m recording right now. Do you want to see?” Meghan replied. “We’re just doing some podcasting. Can I call you back in a little bit?”
Meghan interjected describing it as a “run-of-the-mill mother-daughter conversation,” before listeners heard the end of the call.
“I have on a smiley face,” Ragland said to which Meghan replied, “I have on a smiley face, I love you.” Meghan and her mom said goodbye with Ragland signing off by doing a “cool handshake” Meghan came up with at the age of 8.
Meghan Markle matched Doria Ragland’s ‘mother/child energy’ on ‘Archetypes’
According to body language expert and professional voice analyst Judi James, Ragland seemed to be in mom “mode.”
“Doria is so much in ‘Mummy’ [sic] mode here. Her voice is set at a higher pitch as though she is talking to a child,” she told the U.K.’s Express.
Meanwhile, the 41-year-old mother of two’s voice seemed to shift when she picked up the phone. “Meghan immediately modifies her softer, lower, more soothing pitch that she uses on her podcast to mirror and match her mother’s mother/child energy,” James said.
“Meghan’s ‘Hey mummy’ [sic] shifts her state to that more childlike state that complements her mother’s next few words of caring, nurturing concern,” she explained.
“‘How’s my girl?’ is spoken in full nurturing mode rather than pitched to sound like a shared joke or a rhetorical question,” the expert added.
Doria Ragland’s voice hinted at ‘concern and a desire to offer love and comfort’
James continued analyzing Meghan’s brief exchange with her mom. She explained the 66-year-old’s tone of voice, particularly how she said “girl,” was especially telling.
“Doria elongates the word ‘girl’ as she asks, signaling concern and a desire to offer love and comfort,” she said. “It sounds like the tone a mother uses when she really does want to offer time to listen to her daughter share any problems, worries, or troubles as well as any good news.”
Overall, the conversation “hints that Doria is there to support Meghan and offer a listening and probably approving ear whenever needed.”
Showbiz Cheat Sheet acknowledges conditions and cultures can impact body language and is sensitive to all backgrounds.
