Meghan Markle reveals one caveat about guest-editing Vogue

‘There are elements that just come with the territory’

The Duchess of Sussex has revealed she had one reservation when taking on the role of guest editor for British Vogue’s September issue.

Writing in her editor’s letter for the magazine, which features 15 inspiring women on the cover hailing from activism, film and fashion, Meghan explained that she wanted readers to be mindful of the level of advertising that features in the publication’s pages.

“There is one caveat for you to remember: this is a magazine,” the Duchess wrote.

“It’s still a business, after all. I share that to manage expectations for you: there will be advertising sections that are requisite for every issue, so while I feel confident that you’ll feel my thumbprint on most pages, please know that there are elements that just come with the territory.

“The overall sentiment I hope you’ll find, however, will be one of positivity, kindness, humour and inclusivity.”

Elsewhere in her letter, Meghan talks about wanting to “further diversify” what British Vogue represents in her issue.

For example, in its fashion pages, the magazine champions ethical and sustainable designers and in its beauty section, there is a focus on “internal beauty” with features on meditation and breath work, she writes.

Meghan also addressed how judgements towards the fashion industry can become “skewed towards the superficial” in the run up to the September fashion shows and she hopes her issue of British Vogue will refocus readers’ energies on meaningful matters.

The Duchess further explained her intentions for the issue by quoting 20th century diarist Anaïs Nin: “I must be a mermaid, Rango. I have no fear of depths and a great fear of shallow living.”

Meghan continued: “For this issue, I imagined, why would we swim in the shallow end of the pool when we could go to the deep end?

“A metaphor for life, as well as for this issue. Let’s be braver. Let’s go a bit deeper.”