Queen Elizabeth has just extended an invitation to Meghan Markle’s beloved mother Doria Ragland that has left royal fans around the world stunned.

The Queen has reportedly invited Doria to spend Christmas with the royal family in Sandringham. This was especially surprising given the fact that an invitation like this has never been extended to the parents of Kate Middleton, Meghan’s sister-in-law. A source said that it was a “very thoughtful gesture” for the Queen to invite Doria.

This is a major break from the tradition that only family members get to sit at the Queen’s table during the Christmas celebration. The source added that the invitation was meant to be a sign of respect from the Queen to signify that unlike Kate, Meghan has no family in the United Kingdom. Meghan and her mother are particularly close, and Doria was the only member of her family that she invited to her wedding to Prince Harry in May. She has long been estranged from her father, Thomas Markle Sr, and her half siblings on the Markle side of the family, who have made a habit of trying to humiliate her in the press. Her mother, in contrast, has been the epitome of class, and the Queen has taken notice.

“The Queen was very impressed by Mrs. Ragland when they met,” another royal source said. “The Queen knows that Meghan’s family situation is complicated and that the easiest way for Meghan and Harry to be together and with Doria, which is what they want, is for them all to join her at Sandringham where there is plenty of space. It’s not the norm but then things seem to have changed quite a lot recently.”

This comes weeks after it was announced that Meghan and Harry are expecting their first child. Doria is reportedly preparing to move to the United Kingdom from her home in Los Angeles to be closer to Meghan, Harry, and her grandchild.

We’re glad to see that the Queen is making this unprecedented move to help Meghan stay united with her mother.