Kaylah Walton
Meghan Markle‘s ambitious vision for a significant British Vogue editorial in 2022 reportedly unraveled due to a combination of unmet expectations and editorial disputes, resulting in a setback for the actress.
The 43-year-old hoped to be a key feature in the magazine’s highly anticipated September 2022 edition, which was set to align with her keynote address at the One Young World Summit in Manchester.
Initial discussions suggested that Markle would receive extensive coverage across British Vogue’s print and online platforms, positioning her at the heart of the issue.
However, the situation deteriorated when Markle sought an unprecedented level of creative control, a request rarely granted, even to A-list celebrities, leading to her fallout with former British Vogue editor Edward Enninful.
A source revealed to thedailymail.com that “Meghan demanded influence over [the] photographer, the writer, the final edits, images, cover lines, and wanted an international cover.”
Her ambitions extended beyond a simple feature in British Vogue, with Markle allegedly aiming for a “global cover” that would showcase her on both UK and US Vogue editions simultaneously.
The insider noted, “No one achieves that—not even Beyonce.” Only a select few celebrities have attained this level of exposure, like Adele, who featured on both covers in November 2021.
Things took a turn for the worse when Markle tried to arrange a direct Zoom call with Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief of US Vogue, to present her vision. However, unbeknownst to Markle, that slot was already reserved for Serena Williams.
According to the source, “Anna wasn’t interested.” After Markle requested a Zoom meeting to pitch her concept, Wintour agreed purely out of courtesy.
Markle Says No to British Vogue
Although this was not Markle’s first collaboration with British Vogue, her demands for the 2022 issue were significant, especially since Enninful had already planned a cover featuring supermodel Linda Evangelista and couldn’t change the lineup.
Markle had previously appeared in Vogue’s 2019 Forces for Change issue and had reportedly been approached multiple times for potential features, perhaps inflating her expectations regarding her importance to the publication.
An insider shared, “The Duchess and her team held lofty expectations, believing she would either secure a print cover or at the very least a digital one.”
“Edward was upset to have lost the project, and so were the executives at Conde Nast. The entire negotiation became quite challenging,” the source added.
“Edward could only offer her an impressive feature within the magazine and online, but she declined.”
Nevertheless, the reports suggest that the relationship isn’t purely negative between Prince Harry‘s wife and the former British Vogue editor, who stepped down in March 2024. They are said to still maintain friendly relations, exchanging gifts and thoughtful gestures.
