Meghan Markle, the former royal, had her sights set on gracing the covers of both US and UK Vogue in September 2022, according to a source close to the situation. The alleged tension between Markle and former British Vogue editor Edward Enninful ran deep, with Markle reportedly presenting Enninful with a laundry list of demands that proved to be too much for the editor to handle. Not only did Markle attempt to secure a spot on the UK Vogue cover for September 2022, but she also angled to appear on the cover of US Vogue, spearheaded by the iconic Anna Wintour. The drama unfolded as Markle hoped to use her keynote appearance at the One Young World Summit in Manchester as a launching pad for her magazine covers, but things took a turn when Enninful had already booked Linda Evangelista for the UK Vogue cover, leading to a fallout between the two former friends.
Not content with just one cover, Markle insisted on a “global cover” strategy, pushing for simultaneous appearances on both UK and US Vogue covers, along with a slew of demands that editors found unreasonable. Markle sought control over every aspect of the cover shoot and publication, from the photographer and writer to the final edit and cover lines. The situation escalated to the point where Markle even arranged a personal Zoom call with Anna Wintour in a bid to sell her vision, but Wintour ultimately declined, citing prior commitments to Serena Williams for the US Vogue cover that month. Despite Markle’s efforts, her dream of a dual Vogue cover never materialized, leaving her only with a digital cover on New York magazine’s the Cut as she promoted her “Archetypes” podcast.
While conflicting reports emerged about Markle’s interactions with Vogue and Enninful, sources close to the situation painted a picture of high expectations clashing with editorial constraints. The fallout between Markle and Enninful was reportedly fueled by unmet expectations, with Enninful unable to secure a print or digital cover for Markle due to prior commitments. The tense situation culminated in Enninful losing the project and Condé Nast expressing disappointment over the missed opportunity. Despite the turmoil, rumors of a strained relationship between Markle and Enninful were countered by reports of ongoing warmth and respect between the two, with birthday wishes and flowers exchanged as a testament to their continued friendly rapport.
