Fresh insights have surfaced about the alleged fallout between Meghan Markle and former British Vogue editor-in-chief Edward Enninful — and sources say it went far beyond a disagreement over a magazine cover.
According to insiders who spoke to Page Six and Daily Mail, tensions began in 2022 when discussions were underway for a potential September British Vogue cover to coincide with Markle’s scheduled keynote speech at the One Young World Summit in Manchester. The feature was intended to spotlight her appearance at the global youth event — but behind the scenes, things reportedly turned contentious.
Sources claim Markle had a long list of creative demands. She allegedly sought full control over the project’s direction, including the choice of photographer and writer, final approval of the edits and cover lines, and pushed for a rare “global cover” — a simultaneous release on both British and American Vogue.
“Meghan asked for control over the photographer, writer, final edit, photos, and cover lines — and wanted a global issue,” one source said. “Nobody gets that. Not even Beyoncé.”
When her requests were denied, Markle is said to have reached out directly to Vogue’s U.S. editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour, to pitch the idea again. While Wintour reportedly agreed to a courtesy Zoom call, the proposal was turned down. At the time, U.S. Vogue had already committed to featuring Serena Williams on its cover.
To date, Adele remains the only celebrity to have appeared on both the U.S. and U.K. Vogue covers simultaneously — a distinction Markle had hoped to replicate.
However, not all accounts align. A separate insider claims it was Vogue that had repeatedly approached Markle for cover stories, particularly in the wake of her 2018 royal wedding. It’s also worth noting that Markle and Enninful previously collaborated in 2019, when she guest-edited the Vogue “Forces for Change” issue — choosing not to appear on the cover herself.
Though she missed out on Vogue, Markle did land a high-profile September 2022 digital cover with The Cut, alongside rapper Megan Thee Stallion, in a promotional push for her now-cancelled podcast Archetypes. A Variety cover was also planned but postponed following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
As for Markle’s current relationship with Enninful, reports suggest the two are no longer in contact. “Edward was furious to have lost the project,” a source told Daily Mail. “He could only offer a feature inside the magazine and online — but she turned it down.”
Edward Enninful stepped down from his role at British Vogue in February 2024.