Duchess of Sussex's mother 'flies to UK to support her' ahead of royal baby's arrival

The Duchess of Sussex’s mother is travelling to Windsor to support her during the birth of her first child, it has been reported.

Doria Ragland, who lives in Los Angeles, is said to have travelled to the UK to meet her future grandchild, who is due later this month.

The Sun on Sunday reported that Ms Ragland has hired a house and dog sitter to keep things running at her American home while she is away for as long as her daughter needs her.

A social worker who teaches yoga to senior citizens, she has also cancelled her upcoming classes, the newspaper said.

The Duchess, who is heavily pregnant, did not attend a church service at St George’s Chapel today, despite its proximity to her new home at Frogmore Cottage, Windsor.

The Duke and Duchess have now moved in to their new home, which has been renovated at an estimated cost of £3m to make it fit for their family of three and staff.

Speaking to the public earlier this year, the Duchess said her baby is due at the “end of April or early May”, with royal-watchers on high alert for the announcement she is in labour.

Ms Ragland, who has been the model of maternal discretion since news of Meghan Markle’s relationship with Prince Harry was made public, is known to have previously travelled to visit the couple in the UK without being spotted.

She has only been photographed at the royal wedding, when she appeared emotional in the pews of St George’s Chapel, and at the launch of the Duchess’s Together cookbook in the grounds of Kensington Palace.

The grandmother-to-be is expected to stay with the Duke and Duchess at Frogmore for the next few weeks.

Sources have previously insisted she would not be moving to the UK to be near the Sussexes permanently, with a happy, busy life of her own in the United States.

The baby will be seventh-in-line to the throne, and will be a dual UK-US citizen. A spokesman for Buckingham Palace did not comment.