Meghan Markle Just Won an Important Diversity Award

Alyssa Hardy
·4 min read

Meghan Markle can now add award-winning editor to her long list of accomplishments. The UK's PPA awarded the Duchess of Sussex with the Diversity Initiative of the Year award for her 2019 guest edit of the British Vogue September issue.

On Instagram British Vogue Editor-in-Chief Edward Enninful posted about the honor. "I'm also thrilled to say that #BritishVogue's September 2019 #ForcesForChange issue – guest-edited by the inimitable Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex @SussexRoyal – has won Diversity Initiative of the Year," he wrote.

View this post on Instagram

I'm truly humbled to have been awarded Consumer Editor of the Year at the @PPA_Live awards. I'm also thrilled to say that #BritishVogue's September 2019 #ForcesForChange issue – guest-edited by the inimitable Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex @SussexRoyal – has won Diversity Initiative of the Year. Many thanks to my amazing team, the best an editor could ask for. Here's to more successes! #PPAAwards Photographed by the late, great @TheRealPeterLindbergh, with fashion editors @Edward_Enninful and @TheRealGraceCoddington, hair by @BartPumpkin and @SergeNormant, make-up by @TheValGarland and @Diane.Kendal, nails by @LorraineVGriffin and @YukoTsuchihashi. Starring: @AdutAkech @Gemma_Chan @GretaThunberg @JameelaJamilOfficial @Chimamanda_Adichie @AdwoaAboah @JacindaArdern @FrankieGoesToHayward @SomaliBoxer @CTurlington @SalmaHayek @TheSineadBurke @JaneFonda @LaverneCox @YaraShahidi

A post shared by Edward Enninful, OBE (@edward_enninful) on Jun 30, 2020 at 11:09am PDT

The issue featured 15 activists and leaders including Greta Thunberg, Sinead Burke, Jameela Jamil, Adwoa Aboah, and Jacinda Ardin. There was also a 16th space on the cover that was a mirror intended to make the reader part of it. The decision was explained on the Duchess's former Instagram account "Sussex Royal." "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," it read. "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."

View this post on Instagram

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

RELATED: Meghan Markle Made a Personal Phone Call to a Teen Victim of an Alleged Hate Crime

In the almost year since the magazine hit stands, a lot has changed for Markle but her activism is one of the things that has remained the same. Not only has she spent the last three months doing charity work to help people impacted by COVID-19, but she has also been vocal about the Black Lives Matter movement. Soon, she and Prince Harry will launch their Archwell charity which is set to address the main issues the world is facing right now.