A report suggests that Meghan Markle’s once-strong friendship with Edward Enninful, the former British Vogue Editor-in-Chief, ended abruptly after she was reportedly excluded from the magazine’s cover.
Initially, Enninful intended for the Duchess of Sussex, 43, to appear on the prestigious September 2022 cover of British Vogue, highlighting her charitable endeavors.
The cover was reportedly also set to include her keynote appearance at the One Young World Summit in Manchester, England.
However, the friendship took a turn for the worse following a clash over the magazine’s approach to showcasing the former “Suits” actress’s philanthropic efforts, as shared by the Mail on Sunday.
Following the heated disagreement, the cover was immediately pulled.
“The duchess and her team had high expectations and were expecting she might get a print cover or at least a digital cover out of it, but Enninful was not able to meet those expectations,” a source told the outlet.
“He already had a magazine cover in the bag for that month.”
Instead, Enninful gave the September 2022 cover to Canadian model Linda Evangelista, which marked her return to modeling.
Meanwhile, across the pond, the American edition of the magazine featured Markle’s longtime pal and tennis legend Serena Williams.
According to Condé Nast insiders, Enninful’s decision to spotlight other stars resulted in the breakdown of his friendship with the former actress, who quit royal life in 2020 and moved across the pond.
Sources told the outlet that Markle and Enninful — who quit British Vogue in February — are no longer on speaking terms.
“The duchess and her team had high expectations and were expecting she might get a print cover or at least a digital cover out of it, but Enninful was not able to meet those expectations. He already had a magazine cover in the bag for that month,” an insider said.
“Edward was furious to have lost the project, as were the powers that be at Conde Nast.”
“The whole process became very difficult. Edward could only promise her a big showy feature inside the magazine and online — but she turned it down,” they added.
The Post has reached out to Condé Nast and Markle’s reps for comment.
Despite the claims, The Post understands that their communication has “remained warm and respectful” over the years, with the pair even exchanging birthday wishes and flowers within the past year.
Markle had been approached by Vogue multiple times after her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry, with Enninful personally inviting her to grace the “Forces for Change” cover, which she ultimately declined.
