Silver Tree, David Olusoga and Abigail Spencer: the Harry and Meghan Netflix ... trends now

Viewers watching Harry and Meghan's newly released Netflix show have been introduced to a slideshow of friends, family and experts giving their opinion on the couple.

In the first three episodes of the programme Doria Ragland, the Duchess of Sussex's mother, spoke on camera about her daughter's relationship with Prince Harry for the first time.

Fans were also introduced to a number of friends of the couple, with the likes of Serena Williams taking part, as well as Meghan's lawyer niece Ashleigh and Harry's polo playing model friend Ignacio.

Ahead of its release today, the streaming service promised that 'friends and family' would give interviews about the couple and their relationship. 

However, some well-known friends and allies of the couple have not appeared in the three episodes released so far.

The likes of Elton John, Vogue editor Edward Enninful and Prince Harry’s ‘surrogate Dad’, the music producer David Foster, were all absent.

Additionally Oprah Winfrey, who conducted a bombshell interview with the pair in 2021, and the Obamas, who are close to them, were also not present.

There were also no 'talking heads' from the Royals, not even Princess Eugenie, who the couple remain close to.

Below is the lowdown on all the family, friends, experts and employees who appeared on the first three episodes released this morning.

Family  

Doria Ragland 

Meghan's mother has tried to stay away from the limelight since her daughter met Prince Harry.

The 66-year-old social worker lives in Los Angeles, and spent the majority of Meghan's childhood raising her as a single mother following her divorce from Thomas Markle.

Ms Ragland has never spoken on camera about their relationship, although she remains close to the couple and often visits them and her grandchildren.

She appeared in all three episodes released on Netflix today, and took centre stage in the second of these, talking about how she found out Meghan was dating a prince.

She tells the series she wanted to share 'a little bit of my experience as her mom' - including how she raised the Duchess 'with a network of women'.

Ms Ragland told the camera that she knew Harry was 'The One' for her daughter upon meeting him in person, and called him a '6ft 1in handsome man with red hair' and 'great manners'.

In the third episode of the series she described her experience of dealing with paparazzi, saying she felt 'unsafe a lot' before hitting out at her ex-husband and Meghan's father Tom Markle.

Speaking about his interactions with the press, she said: 'I was absolutely stunned that Tom would become part of this circus.'

Ashleigh Hale

Speaking on camera for the first time, Ashleigh Hale revealed to the public she is Meghan's niece.

Describing herself as an immigration attorney in the show, her LinkedIn profile says she was based in Richmond, Virginia, before moving to San Francisco last May where she is now an associate at a firm called Fragomen.

In the show the 37-year-old says she was raised by her grandparents instead of her mother, Meghan's estranged half-sister Samantha Markle.

In episode three she says how she only met Meghan for the first time as an adult, with the pair becoming close friends.

She broke down in tears after revealing she was supposed to be invited to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's wedding, but the complicated relationship between her mother and Meghan meant she could not go.

Discussing the matter, Megan said: 'How do we explain that this half-sister isn't invited to the wedding but the half-sister daughter's is. And so with Ashleigh, the guidance at the time was to not have her come to the wedding'.

Ms Hale said she was 'hurt' but 'understood where it was coming from.'

Friends 

Nicky

In the first episode of the series viewers are introduced to Nicky, a school friend from Harry's time at Eton.

Nicky, who seems to have kept a low profile during his friendship with the prince, reveals the pair met when they were 13 years old and used to 'lean out of the windows and talk after lights out'.

He movingly spoke of how the public first got to see Harry 'beyond just a snap or picture' at Diana's funeral, when he famously walked behind her coffin with his father and brother.

In the second episode he reveals they spoke about who would be the ideal woman for Harry, and concluded it would be 'somebody already had their identity, some successes and had carved their role in the world'.

Later in the series he gushes over Meghan and Harry's relationship, saying they are 'just so evidently really in love' and that it 'radiated out' of them.

Serena Williams

The recently retired Tennis legend, who won 23 Grand Slams during her career, has been friends with Meghan since they met at a 2010 Super Bowl party.

Ms Williams, who has a daughter with American internet entrepreneur Alexis Ohanian, was invited to Meghan and Harry's wedding in 2018.

The 41-year-old expressed her joy at being present for their marriage and said she was 'super excited' to be part of it.

Speaking in episode three of the series Ms Williams says the couple are 'so so tight' and are each other's 'best, best friends'.

Ms Williams previously appeared on Meghan's Archetypes podcast during which she revealed Harry helped her wit the decision to retire from tennis long before it was announced.

Lucy Fraser

Lucy Fraser spoke about Meghan's 'single girl summer' before meeting Harry, describing how she had 'lots of plans of going to Europe'.

Later in the documentary, she said she 'warned' her friend about the British press. 

Ms Fraser described going to Harry and Meghan's engagement party where everyone was dressed in animal onesies, with the Sussexes appearing as penguins because they keep their 'mates for life'. 

She is British, but little else is known about her. 

Dhru Purohit 

An entrepreneur and author, Dhru Purohit also hosts a medicine podcast in which he discusses the brain and the body with experts.

He is CEO of the Dr. Hyman brand and a medical clinic based in Lenox, Massachusetts, that specializes in treating chronic disease through personalized medicine.

He was invited to Harry and Meghan's wedding, and accompanied Oprah Winfrey into St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle for the ceremony.

In episode two he reveals his surprise at Harry and Meghan's relationship after being told about it by his sister, who is a friend of hers.

Jill Smoller

The 58-year-old is an American sports agent and former professional tennis player who once had Serena Williams as a client.

She was in a box with Meghan at Wimbledon shortly before she began dating Harry.

'We were talking about different dates and different people who were possibilities,' she remembers.

'And I remember seeing an adorable actor sitting in the front row next to someone I knew and said, ''Hey, how about him''.

'And then I think the next day I found out that she was going to be going on a date with H.'

Vicky Tsai

Beauty entrepreneur Vicky Tsai is known for founding Tatcha, a Japanese-inspired skin care brand.

Ms Tsai sold the company, which was known for its cruelty-free and ethical products, to beauty giant Unilever for an estimated $500million in 2019.

She is reported to own a villa in Montecito, which is close to Santa Barbara in California, where Harry and Meghan have laid down their roots in the United States.

She told the cameras that when Meghan and Harry started dating it 'looked like a fairytale'. 

Ignacio 'Nacho' Figueras

'Nacho' Figueras, a polo player and model, is a longtime friend of Harry.

The Argentinian, 45, has been a vocal supporter of the Sussexes and in 2019 told Town and Country magazine: 'What I like the most about him is how real he is and how serious he is about improving life for kids that have not had the blessings that we've had.'

The same year, Nacho appeared on The Ellen Show, hosted by Ellen DeGeneres, and announced he would 'defend his friends' with his life.

During the interview he also described Meghan as 'incredible', and revealed how she 'gave up everything for the man she loves'.

On the Netflix documentary, he described going for dinner with his wife and Harry shortly after he met the duchess.

'He looked at us and said ''guys, I met a girl, we've just met but I think this might be the one'',' he said.

'You could tell right away that those eyes were those of someone who'd fallen in love.'

Discussing the couple's trip to Africa in the early months of their romance, he said: 'They were both going to spend real time with each other so he said it was either going to work or not.

Daniel Martin 

The couple's long-time make-up artist appears in the programme where he remarks he has been friends with Meghan for around a decade.

Mr Martin did Meghan's make-up for her wedding in 2018 and has previously said he 'couldn't be more proud' of them.

Yesterday he posted an image of the couple after they accepted a human rights award, captioned: 'Back together to honor their commitments to racial and social injustices around the world and advocacy for mental health awareness.

'Congratulations #harryandmeghan on your @rfkhumanrights #RippleofHope award.'

Outside their friendship he is the Global Director of Artistry & Education at Tatcha, a company set up by another of Meghan's friends, Vicky Tsai.

Silver Tree 

Another friend of Meghan's, Silver Tree is a film writer and producer from Petaluma, California.

The 45-year-old recalled the time when Meghan met Harry.

'Meghan texted me from London and said ''Silver, you're not going to believe this'',' she said.

'We thought it was really funny, in what world does this happen! Then she texted me after and said, ''Silver, I am crazy about him''. 

Mandana Dayani

The former president of Archewell, Harry and Meghan's charitable organisation, makes a brief appearance in episode three.

While the Duke and Duchess get ready for an engagement she can be seen asking the couple what a 'royal expert' is prompting Harry to discuss the relationship between the Royal Family and the media.

The 40-year-old was born in Iran but has made the United States her home and has perviously been involved in a number of activist campaigns. 

After graduating from law school in California, she worked in the field before moving onto work as a talent agent and eventually becoming a head of Archewell while the couple were on parental leave following the birth of their daughter Lilibet.

Ms Dayani left the organisation earlier this month.

Lindsay Roth

A producer and author, Lindsay Roth is one of Meghan's best friends from Northwestern University.

She made a passionate defence of her on Instagram last year, writing that her 'MO has always been kindness' and 'goodwill runs in her bones'.

Ms Roth added: 'I know this to be true after 22 years of very close friendship. I have seen firsthand how she treats her friends and their families, and her colleagues.'

She appeared on the Netflix documentary to describe the intense press coverage faced by Meghan.

'We knew that they would contact people that Meg was close to - I didn't know the lengths that they would go,' she said.

'There were journalists outside my apartment building, there were journalists trailing us in London. It was intense.'

Prince Seeiso of Lesotho

Prince Seeiso is the younger brother of Lesotho's King Letsie III. He is friends with Prince Harry after the pair met while he was visiting the African country in 2004.

He told Netflix: 'In the beginning he was a young man straight from Eton, having had massive negative headlines about him.

'I didn't know the boy but I thought I'd see what we could do with this young man.

'I think he came here wanting to have time out from that very aggressive treadmill. I felt a warmth, an acceptance that he was here to learn, not tell.' 

Former Suits co-star: Abigail Spencer  

Abigail, 41, spent years appearing alongside Meghan in Suits - with the two forming a close friendship during their time on-set together.

That friendship was made incredibly apparent in the docuseries, with Abigail revealing that she was one of the first people to learn about Meghan's then-secret relationship with Harry.

'It was 2016, Meghan and I met up in New York,' she recalled.

'We really enjoyed going to have tea and champagne at Bergdorf Goodman. We'd be like, "Let's meet at the tea room at Bergdorfs."

'She's like, "Um yeah, I think I met someone and I'm in love. It's Prince Harry."'

Like several of Meghan's other friends who feature in the Netflix show, Abigail was full of excitement over the earliest stages of their

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