Diana and Doria: How the 2 grandmothers are expected to influence the royal baby
As Prince Harry and his wife Meghan prepare to welcome their first child any day now and become first-time parents, many royal watchers are looking at how the baby's two grandmothers -- Princess Diana and Doria Ragland -- will play a role in the child's life as they come of age.
If Meghan has any doubts about embracing her new role as a royal mom, she need look no further than the example set by her late mother-in-law, Diana.
"She's a massive missing part of their lives," ABC News' royal contributor Imogen Lloyd Webber said of Diana. "And she will be front and center."
When it came to raising her young princes, Diana set a gold standard, always doing her best to ensure they had a regular childhood.
In 1995, she spoke to the BBC about how she hoped to raise her sons, saying, "I want them to have an understanding of people's emotions, people's insecurities, people's distress, and people's hopes and dreams."
"And they have a knowledge - they may never use it, but the seed is there, and I hope it will grow because knowledge is power," she added.
In 2016, Harry told ABC News' Robin Roberts that he's worked hard to keep that spirit alive.
"I hope she's looking down, you know, with ... tears in her eyes, being incredibly proud of what we've established," he said. "I hope that everything we do privately and officially ... that it makes her proud."
Meghan's own mom, Ragland, is expected to stay in the couple's newly-renovated cottage in Windsor when the baby comes, and many expect her to be a very involved, doting grandmother.
"There's absolutely room for Granny Doria to come and visit," Lloyd Webber said.
"She was caught taking baby -- baby care classes before the announcement that Meghan was pregnant, so absolutely she will be there on site," she added. "No doubt a very hands-on grandmother."
Meghan grew up with an interest in the world around her thanks to her mom, who's a social worker and yoga instructor in California. And just like Diana, she has become deeply dedicated to humanitarian work.
While Diana will not be able to be around when the baby arrives, royal watchers say her spirit and legacy will definitely be palpable as the baby grows up.
"I think both Diana and Doria, though they never met, shared an emotional intelligence which they've given to their children," Lloyd Webber said. "Diana was all about making the monarchy more approachable and accessible, and I think Meghan and Harry are the living, breathing embodiment of that."
