The Duchess of Sussex has today faced a backlash for featuring the 15 ‘women she admires’ on the September issue of British Vogue.
The line-up of women she admires includes celebrities, politicians and activists known for championing issues such as diversity, body positivity, transgender rights and climate change.
But the 37-year-old, who gave birth to son Archie in May, has been slammed by critics for failing to include the Queen in the magazine and for ignoring nurses, doctors, lawyers and teachers on the cover.
Brexit MEP Ann Widdecombe told the Sun: ‘Royals have not only got to keep out of politics but they have got to be seen to keep out of politics.’
Critics have also hit out at Meghan for ‘involving herself in politics’ and ‘considering herself more of an A lister than a member of the royal family’.
Ingrid Seward of Majesty magazine told the Sun: ‘The Duchess of Sussex has done a huge favour for the House of Conde Naste and rather less for the House of Windsor’.
The duchess, a former actress and avowed feminist, had initially been asked to appear on the cover herself. But Vogue’s editor-in-chief Edward Enninful said Meghan refused as she thought it would appear too ‘boastful’.
The Duchess of Sussex is the guest editor on the September issue of British Vogue (Pictured: Jacinda Ardern, Salma Hayek Pinault, Laverne Cox, Jameela Jamil, Yara Shahidi and Gemma Chan, Christy Turlington Burns, Adwoa Aboah, Adut Akech, Ramla Ali, Sinead Burke, Francesca Hayward, Jane Fonda, Greta Thunberg and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie)
In a video posted to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s Instagram (pictured), she appears alongside editor Vogue’s editor-in-chief Edward Enninful picking the line-up of women she admires
One critic slammed the Duchess for failing to include the Queen on the cover – while another said she should have picked a nurse, teacher or doctor
The Duchess becomes the first royal to guest-edit the fashion bible, bringing together 15 ‘trailblazers’ and ‘changemakers’ for a special ‘Forces for Change’ issue.
Meghan’s edition includes actress Jane Fonda, 81, and climate change campaigner Greta Thunberg, 16 among other famous faces.
One online commenter tweeted it was ‘vacuous rubbish’ and another called the magazine ‘absolutely awful’.
Royal commentator Rob Jobson told Sky News Meghan’s cover was ‘right on and ticks all the boxes’, but warned against getting involved in politics by asking the New Zealand Prime Minister to take part.
He also commented on Meghan working on the guest edit while on maternity leave – when she did not meet the US President.
He added: ‘She picked a conversation she had with Michelle Obama, this was done while she was on maternity leave, but she wasn’t around for when Donald Trump was here for the state visit.
‘You have got to be quite careful, if you want a voice, that is great. That is perfect if you are not necessarily a member of the Royal Family.
‘But, she has got to be very careful not to be partisan and I think that whilst you are using this for a force of good, you have just got to be a little bit careful on the politics side.’
Author and broadcaster Bobby Friedman claims Meghan sees herself ‘more of an A-lister celebrity rather than a member of the Royal Family.’
Mr Friedman told Sky News: ‘The difficulty that Meghan has is that this comes on the back of a very few difficult months for her.
‘Where the impression, probably unfairly, that people are getting is that Meghan sees her self as an A-lister, as a Taylor Swift or Beyonce, not as a member of the Royal Family.
‘You have to remember that for the Royal Family in this country we have a social contract, they give us and in return, we support them, financially and emotionally.
‘What the impression you get with Meghan Markle at the moment, unfortunately, is that she doesn’t want to do the hard yard.
‘She is happy turning up at London fashion week, she is happy going on the stage of Hamilton.
‘Can she do it in the provinces on a wet Wednesday in November? You get the impression that she doesn’t really want to.
‘It is that kind of LA, behind high gates home keep to keep the public out. You had it with Archie’s Christening, that not being made public and with the Godparents not being made public.
‘You have the debacle at Wimbledon where she had to ask her security guards to tell people to not take photographs of her.
‘The discussion last week from Palace staff about not approaching her and Harry or petting their dog when they are out and about in Windsor.
‘All of this gives a sense, a bit unfairly, that she is in it for the celebrity, that she sees herself as an A-lister.
‘So choosing at this moment to edit a fashion magazine is a mistake and choosing to do it this way, as Robert mentioned before she is choosing political figures.
‘She is politicising the Royal Family and I think that goes too far and is unwise.’
A candid photograph released alongside the September cover pictures the duchess in the workroom of the Smart Works office in London
In a video posted to the Sussex’s Instagram page today, a visibly pregnant Meghan appears alongside Enninful as they put the finishing touches to the magazine.
The post says the Duchess spent the last seven months creating ‘an issue of inclusivity and inspiration, focusing on what connects us rather than what divides us.’
She said she wanted to focus on the ‘women she admires’ from the ‘frontline of fashion, film, tech and wellness’. Meghan has also selected content for the issue which, according to Mr Enninful, shows she is willing to wade into issues of ‘female empowerment, mental health, race or privilege’.
Meghan’s trailblazers include actress Jane Fonda, mental health campaigner and model Adwoa Aboah, transgender Orange Is the New Black actress Laverne Cox, climate change campaigner Greta Thunberg and New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern.
It represents one of the most radical moves in Vogue’s 100-year history, with the magazine saying it considers the new September issue to be its most important edition of the year.
The Duchess beams as she stands alongside Vogue’s editor-in-chief Edward Enninful
The 16th image on the cover is a mirror to ‘include the reader and encourage them to use their own platforms to effect change’ – the duchess’s idea. Prince Charles, Prince Harry and the Duchess of Cambridge have all tried their hand at being journalists in recent years to plug causes close to their hearts.
Kate was also the cover star of the Vogue centenary issue in 2016. However, rarely has a collaboration been so ‘woke’ – a political term for being socially aware over issues such as race and sexual equality.
It makes clear that Meghan is determined not to give up the level of activism she enjoyed when working as an actress before she met the Queen’s grandson.
In 2015 she addressed the United Nations on the issue of female empowerment, highlighting how at the age of 11 she was so outraged by a sexist washing detergent advertisement on TV that she wrote to the manufacturers who agreed to pull it.
Royal commentator Dickie Arbiter told MailOnline royals had to ‘tread carefully’ when involving themselves in politics.
Mr Arbiter said: ‘It’s a very fine line, it seems everything today has a political connotation. I think [Meghan] has taken note of what she can do and can’t say.
‘Vogue is a vehicle for royals to put forward their views in terms of their favourite charities – it’s a vehicle to get the charity out there to a wider circle – a circle that has got the money to contribute. This will get people sitting up and putting their hands in their pockets.’
Take style tips from the Duchess of Sussex in a tweed dress by Gucci
The Duchess of Sussex has joined forces with Edward Enninful to guest edit the September issue of British Vogue.
Whilst she doesn’t appear on the cover of the magazine, Meghan is pictured looking impossibly chic in the workroom of the Smart Works office in London.
She’s wearing a cream sleeveless dress by Gucci in the photo, which features a check print tweed fabric and a pretty rose and ribbon bow brooch. Chanel might be known as the boucle experts, but Gucci has its fair share of perfect tweed pieces, and we’re in love with this one!
It hails from the Resort ’19 collection and is available to buy now at NET-A-PORTER, so click (right) to invest in a classic.
Or if you’re feeling the need for tweed after seeing Meghan looking so glowing, how about one of the more affordable alternatives from our edit below instead? SHEIN, River Island, Mango and SilkFred have all got options that will do the trick.
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Some royal fans expressed concern at the edition with a number of Twitter users commenting that it is ‘absolutely awful’
Mr Arbiter told MailOnline members of the royal family have previously used Vogue as a platform to promote their favourite charitable causes.
He added: ‘This is not the first time a member of the royal family has done it – it’s a good vehicle.
‘I think the list of people that she’s going to be editing is an interesting list – I don’t think many people will know anything about them. Of course, everyone knows Jacinda Ardern, who has done a wonderful job. Jane Fonda is well known.
‘The rest of them are relatively unknown but until once they got in Vogue, you’ll know them. Vogue has a very faithful audience.
‘[The Duchess] has set herself an interesting list of people so I am curious to know who put the list together – I’m sure the Duchess had help with the input – these women come from far and wide; from Nigeria, south Sudan, Somalia.
‘It will make for an interesting read and I wish her the best of luck with it. I’m not sure what editing involves, but I doubt she’ll be writing pieces on the contributors.’
When asked for his thoughts on the Duchess working through her pregnancy, Mr Arbiter added: ‘People who fall pregnant don’t stop living, contributing, or thinking. It doesn’t mean you can’t make good use of your time.’
Insiders insist the duchess was not just a figurehead for the British Vogue project but a hands-on collaborator, involving herself in everything including artwork and layout.
There is a ‘candid conversation’ between Meghan and former US First Lady Michelle Obama.
Meghan has also chosen to feature an interview between Prince Harry and primatologist Dr Jane Goodall.
The duchess posed for just one image inside the magazine – an arty black and white shot in the London office of charity Smart Works, which helps get women from disadvantaged backgrounds ready for job interviews.
On the Sussex’s Instagram page a caption alongside the video reads: ‘Fifteen women were chosen for the cover including New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who generously lent her time to support The Duchess in this important issue.
‘The women first met last autumn during Their Royal Highness’ official tour of New Zealand.
‘Above, PM Ardern says: ‘One change that I’ve noticed over the course of my career, is just how polarised the world is now. I do think there is a solution to that though, and that’s ultimately us coming back to the humanity that we all share.’
‘Thank you PM Ardern for being an amazing force for change. For more details on this special project, please see previous post and stay tuned for more updates throughout the week.’
It is understood that discussions between Meghan and Vogue began in January and she has been working with the team for months.
A source told the Mail: ‘The duchess and Edward first met in January. She had already been approached by a huge number of publications. It wasn’t something she was actively looking to do but she had heard a lot about Edward and, as the patron of Smart Works, she thought that Vogue could be a good link-up. So actually initially she reached out to him.
‘Edward pitched for her to be on the front cover but this was something she wasn’t keen on…so the duchess just asked him ‘Would you consider me guest-editing?’ The September issue is a major deal in the fashion industry and no one has ever been allowed to guest-edit before.’
The source said Meghan had been ‘totally hands-on’ throughout her pregnancy with her new baby Archie.
‘The team met with her at Kensington Palace and her Frogmore Cottage home and there were ‘hundreds of emails and phone calls’.
The insider added: ‘This was a real project of passion for her throughout her pregnancy and Archie’s arrival.
‘It’s been a massive labour of love. It’s been a very collaborative process. But the levels of secrecy have been insane!’
In a statement, Meghan said: ‘These last seven months have been a rewarding process, curating and collaborating with Edward Enninful to take the year’s most-read fashion issue and steer its focus to the values, causes and people making impact in the world today.
‘Through this lens I hope you’ll feel the strength of the collective in the diverse selection of women chosen for the cover as well as the team of support I called upon within the issue to help bring this to light.
‘I hope readers feel as inspired as I do, by the forces for change they’ll find within these pages.’
Edward Enniful, the magazine’s editor, said: ‘To have the country’s most influential beacon of change guest edit British Vogue at this time has been an honour, a pleasure and a wonderful surprise.
‘As you will see from her selections throughout this magazine, she is also willing to wade into more complex and nuanced areas, whether they concern female empowerment, mental health, race or privilege.
‘From the very beginning, we talked about the cover – whether she would be on it or not.
‘In the end, she felt that it would be in some ways a ‘boastful’ thing to do for this particular project.