Meghan Markle Is Being Accused of Copying Her Vogue Cover from a Book She Helped Produce

Alicia Brunker

It's been less than 24 hours since Meghan Markle revealed the cover of the British Vogue issue she guest-edited, and there's already controversy afoot. On Monday morning, authors Samantha Brett and Steph Adams accused the duchess of ripping off the cover of their book The Game Changers, in which Meghan was a part of production.

Meghan, who was featured on the cover and personally approved the concept, wrote an essay for the book's release nearly three years ago. And there's no denying the similarities between the two titles, as both covers adopt a grid format with black and white photos of fifteen successful women inspiring change.

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Limited pre-launch Christmas copies shipping tomorrow ... link in bio 💕#thegamechangersbook #girlboss #successquotes #ariannahuffington #rachelzoe #meghanmarkle #ellemacpherson

A post shared by S A M A N T H A • B R E T T (@samantha_brett) on Dec 21, 2016 at 12:13am PST

Brett told the Daily Mail she was stunned when she first saw Meghan's Vogue issue. "It's obviously very flattering, she obviously likes our concept!" she said. "I love Meghan and am a huge fan, but if what people are alerting us to is true, then it's extremely disappointing."

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We are proud to announce that Her Royal Highness, The Duchess of Sussex is the Guest Editor for the September issue of @BritishVogue. For the past seven months, The Duchess has curated the content with British Vogue's Editor-in-Chief Edward Enninful to create an issue that highlights the power of the collective. They have named the issue: “Forces for Change” For the cover, The Duchess chose a diverse selection of women from all walks of life, each driving impact and raising the bar for equality, kindness, justice and open mindedness. The sixteenth space on the cover, a mirror, was included so that when you hold the issue in your hands, you see yourself as part of this collective. The women on the cover include: @AdwoaAboah @AdutAkech @SomaliBoxer @JacindaArdern @TheSineadBurke @Gemma_Chan @LaverneCox @JaneFonda @SalmaHayek @FrankieGoesToHayward @JameelaJamilOfficial @Chimamanda_Adichie @YaraShahidi @GretaThunberg @CTurlington We are excited to announce that within the issue you’ll find: an exclusive interview between The Duchess and former First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama, a candid conversation between The Duke of Sussex and Dr Jane Goodall, inspirational articles written by Brené Brown, Jameela Jamil and many others. Equally, you’ll find grassroots organisations and incredible trailblazers working tirelessly behind the scenes to change the world for the better. “Guest Editing the September issue of British Vogue has been rewarding, educational and inspiring. To deep dive into this process, working quietly behind the scenes for so many months, I am happy to now be able to share what we have created. A huge thanks to all of the friends who supported me in this endeavour, lending their time and energy to help within these pages and on the cover. Thank you for saying “Yes!” - and to Edward, thank you for this wonderful opportunity.” - The Duchess of Sussex #ForcesForChange

A post shared by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (@sussexroyal) on Jul 28, 2019 at 2:26pm PDT

While we don't know for sure if the cover's layout was Meghan's idea, she did suggest adding a reflective 16th tile to the page. "The sixteenth space on the cover, a mirror, was included so that when you hold the issue in your hands, you see yourself as part of this collective," a statement read on the Duchess of Sussex's Instagram post.

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According to the Daily Mail, it's not just the artwork that's strikingly similar to Brett and Adams's book, but also the messaging behind it. Royal officials have said that the Vogue issue features "trailblazing change-makers united by their fearlessness in breaking barriers," while a blurb from The Game Changers says that the title is about "fearless, trailblazing' women who are changing the world."

Meghan herself didn't want to be featured on the cover, because she didn't want to appear "boastful." But, now looking back, maybe it would have been the safer choice.