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Who is Rita Ora’s mum, Vera Ora? The psychiatrist inspired the singer’s duet with Keith Urban, survived breast cancer, and once modelled for a swimwear line by Amoena

STORYIshani Sarkar
Rita Ora and her mother, Vera Ora, in a campaign for high street brand Primark. Photo: @ritaora/Instagram
Rita Ora and her mother, Vera Ora, in a campaign for high street brand Primark. Photo: @ritaora/Instagram
Celebrity Families

You’d be forgiven for mistaking Rita Ora’s 61-year-old mother for the singer’s sister – the Albanian fled Kosovo with her husband and children in 1991, and worked on the frontline during the pandemic

Pop songstress Rita Ora’s mother, Vera Ora, seems to have found the fountain of youth.

Earlier this week, Vera posted a photograph of herself in Italy for Formula One’s Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix 2025 – proudly wearing Adidas Originals, which her daughter had collaborated with for a collection. She’s not afraid to try unexpected fashion: last year, the 61-year-old joined her daughter for the MTV EMAs, looking stunning in a classic black and white pantsuit on the red carpet.

Rita Ora’s mother, Vera Ora, looked stellar in a chic pantsuit at the MTV EMAs last year. Photo: @veraora/Instagram
Rita Ora’s mother, Vera Ora, looked stellar in a chic pantsuit at the MTV EMAs last year. Photo: @veraora/Instagram
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The singer, who is married to New Zealand director Taika Waititi, is known for her fashion flair – and seeing her mum’s modelling prowess, that’s hardly surprising. But Vera Ora’s real profession is far from the runway.
So, what do we know about the glamorous Vera Ora, whom Rita considers her role model, and who inspired her duet with country singer Keith Urban, “Shape of Me”?

What’s her background?

Rita Ora’s parents Vera and Besnik were refugees from Kosovo who fled to the UK. Photo: @veraora/Instagram
Rita Ora’s parents Vera and Besnik were refugees from Kosovo who fled to the UK. Photo: @veraora/Instagram

Rita Ora’s mother Vera Ora is an Albanian hailing from Kosovo. She emigrated to England with her husband, Besnik Sahatçiu Ora, and their daughters Elena and Rita, before war broke out in the former Yugoslavia. The couple put down roots in London’s Notting Hill district and later welcomed their only son, Don, into the family.

She’s a psychiatrist

Rita Ora’s mother, Vera Ora, is a psychiatrist. Photo: @veraora/Instagram
Rita Ora’s mother, Vera Ora, is a psychiatrist. Photo: @veraora/Instagram
Vera Ora was a GP in Kosovo but could not work in the medical field in the UK when she arrived because of the language barrier. So, she focused on learning English to retake her medical exams and succeeded on her first try. She is now a psychiatrist with the NHS, the country’s public health service, focusing on children’s mental health and women with post-partum issues.
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