Heartbreaking: the worst British hate outlet was right about something. Last month, the Duchess of Sussex was seen having lunch with Chloe Malle, the new editor-in-chief of American Vogue. Royal media was abuzz with speculation that Meghan would soon cover Vogue. Then the Daily Mail (of all outlets) reported that Meghan would actually appear on a Harper’s Bazaar cover. Well, they were right! Meghan covers the latest issue of Bazaar. While I’m mad about the photo chosen for the cover, that’s only because there were so many better shots in this editorial. I would have loved to see one of the black-and-white pics turned into a cover. Anyway, the interview is great – go here to read. Meghan seems more relaxed than ever. I haven’t looked at the British reaction to anything yet, but I assume that they’re about to have a month-long tantrum. Some highlights from Bazaar:
She met with girls from a local STEM academy in LA: The 11- and 12-year-olds, in their purple-and-gray uniforms, are unaware of who they are about to meet. It’s a warm September day, and I can hear them murmuring outside the tent. A golf cart pulls up, the gravel crunching beneath its tires. “The Duchess of Sussex,” someone in the scrum announces. Meghan descends, dressed in wide-leg trousers, a silk blouse, and a small pair of pavé-diamond studs by the Ukrainian brand Guzema. They were a gift from her husband, Prince Harry, picked up on a recent trip to Kyiv with his Invictus Games Foundation. [Meghan] lives a life accompanied by a level of scrutiny that every tween girl imagines is always present. Except for Meghan, it is very real. “I don’t know how any woman could see a young girl and not see herself in her, especially at that age,” Meghan tells me later.
The LA Riots: “It was cinematic in a way I don’t think many people can understand. … It was so visual. Smoke everywhere. People were driving around with the back of their SUVs open. I saw people running with boxes of diapers, smashed windows, so much fire and ash falling from the sky that it felt like snow.” As we sit at the Polo Lounge, the city is currently at the center of a national fight over the enforcement of this administration’s immigration policy and the continued deployment of the National Guard to urban areas. But the city, Meghan says many times over the course of our conversation, is “resilient.” “It was scary, but L.A. survived it.”
She likes to work: “I like the community of work and the connection. I think a lot of it is in my DNA.” It’s an attitude in contrast with the current trend of valorizing a soft life—that is, a life without work outside the home, with an emphasis on ease, which requires its own level of hidden labor. “You should do what works for you,” Meghan says diplomatically. For her, though, “when people start to see your work ethic and really understand how dedicated you are to things—how you are in one place, I believe, is how you are in other places. So for me, that’s how I show up when I do potlucks at my kids’ school, that’s how I show up when putting a party together for my friend who just had a baby, that’s how I show up in my business.”
What she’s learned from her mistakes: “You learn not to do it again. If it all goes swimmingly, you don’t learn from it. If you don’t learn anything, you’re not going to grow…. I’m a mom with kids at that age where they are constantly learning something new. I watch them face things that feel completely insurmountable every day. But you can remember and say, ‘I know it seems really hard right now, but trust me, that’s going to come so easily soon.’ I can give myself the same grace as a founder. There’s no such thing as perfect. I, too, get to make mistakes. There’s also not a lot of fun in trying to be perfect. So why try to do that if you want to have fun?”
Does she compartmentalize work and family? “My office is right by the kitchen, and I love that I can work from home. It’s a great luxury.” Her daughter, Lilibet, “comes and sits on my lap when I’m in the middle of the meeting, whether it’s about P and L for my brand or it’s about something creative.” When I ask Meghan what she hopes her kids see when they see her working, she tells me, “I hope they see the value of being brave. They saw it when the jam was just a pot on the stove, bubbling. When you’re young. I think you are a little bit more fearless. As we get older, we lose some of that.”
Attending the Balenciaga show during Paris Fashion Week, the first with Pierpaolo Piccioli at the helm. The two have known each other for years. “I was excited for him,” she says. “I reached out and I said, ‘Happy to come and support you.’ We kept it a secret, and it was really fun.”
Her husband. “He loves me so boldly, fully, and he also has a different perspective because he sees media that I wouldn’t. No one in the world loves me more than him, so I know he’s always going to make sure that he has my back.” With Harry, Meghan explains, “you have someone who just has this childlike wonder and playfulness. I was so drawn to that, and he brought that out in me. That’s translated into every part of our life. Even in business, I want us to play and have fun and explore and be creative.”
The LA fires: “I saw homes where I used to have sleepovers reduced to ash.” Meghan and Harry were both spotted in the aftermath, volunteering with chef José Andrés and his World Central Kitchen nonprofit. “It was less about just giving someone a handout, but giving it to them with dignity,” she says. “Can you treat it with the same level of care that you would if you had lost everything?”
Interspersed between Meghan’s quotes, her friends talked to Bazaar about how she’s a great person. Kelly Zajfen and Serena Williams were quoted at length, which was nice. It’s honestly been a few years since she’s done a magazine interview, and in that time, she’s learned how to open up a bit more. I didn’t blame her for being guarded before – she was trying to survive with everyone climbing up her ass 24-7 – but her interviews were never dishy reads. She comes across as more centered and comfortable in her own skin here. The smaller details are cool too – lunch at the Beverly Hills, an A-lister coming over to talk to her, the Ukrainian earrings, the surreal quality of being one of the most famous women in the world while simultaneously wanting to eat French fries in the middle of Networking Central.
Cover & IG courtesy of Harper’s Bazaar.
Don’t love the cover, but in the white outfit she is impeccable, glamorous and gorgeous.
I love the cover. Smart choice and deliberately wearing no makeup because focus on substantive interview and she is both pretty enough and self confident enough to do it this way. Brava!
She’s likely wearing a ton of make up. It doesn’t have to look like it
I love the cover too – it’s soft, simplistic and chic -sort of like her wedding dress.
She’s wearing a makeup look that the young people are calling “resting rich face,” but she’s wearing makeup. Probably quite a bit. Looks great!
I agree. She looks so pretty in all the photos. The only one I don’t like is the trench coat one, because she’s hunched over and the skirt looks like it has an elastic waist and was $.50 at Goodwill.
I love the cover. I didn’t at first, but the more I look at it the more it just strikes me as the opposite of what we usually see on these covers. There’s no photoshop, minimal makeup, its just….Meghan.
(I know that she is actually wearing makeup and that there was editing involved, but it doesn’t come off that way, it comes off very natural.)
The pictures are gorgeous! Meghan seems to be in her glam era and I’m here for it! She really made 2025 her year and I’m glad she’s finishing off with a bang.
OMG why???? The other photos are so much better.
I agree that the cover choice is strange- I’d seen a thumbnail and thought it was a behind the scenes shot.
Nice editorial though.
She’s so beautiful, why did they choose this underwhelming photo?
Why did they choose that photo?
Cause she wants to be taken seriously.
I love the cover photo that they chose because it’s almost bare. Her hair isn’t perfect her freckles are showing and she’s just lovely. I agree that she’s more relaxed and I love that for her. She understands that there is NOTHING that she can do to please these hateful, selfish racist people so she lives her life on her terms. Loving her family, friends and doing good work. I love that for her and for us.
Go Meghan! Go!
Beautifully cut suit…no makeup…I mean NONE 🥰 I love the juxtaposition! She is so delightful to me❣️
It takes a lot of confidence to appear on a cover with minimal makeup and hair a little askew. I think it’s very brave when a lot of just regular people are filtering every shot, even the ones in our phones that most of the world won’t see. And it’s funny, I remember all of the criticism of WLM saying how Meghan was “too glam, too perfect, not authentic “. Even though it was TV show where everything is curated for the camera. You just can’t please people, so be yourself.
Yes, the hair is a little messier in that cover photo and I’m not mad at it. I’m really happy with the styling choices here. Meghan’s hair is sleek but not completely smoothed out. And there’s no long mermaids tousles! Meghan looks great with mermaid tousle hair don’t get me wrong but I’m just personally over that trend on just about everybody.
Same. I actually love the cover photo, it’s one of my favorites because of the bare face. She is stunning!
I wonder if that was part of her objective here….to say “I won’t please the haters anyway so HERE I AM, THIS IS ME.” Like it feels very much about her reclaiming herself and her image.
This is exactly what it feels like. She’s not listening to your noise, haters, she knows EXACTLY who she is. I really love this for her.
She does sound very comfortable and centered in this interview from the excerpts. I don’t want to say that she sounded defensive before, but definitely more explanatory like she needed to explain her thought process and why she did the things she did. It doesn’t come across that way in this interview which is fantastic. I really like it when she said, that she gets to make mistakes too.
Because of course the British media is an unfair barometer, but even sometimes supporters act like she has to be perfect and can’t figure it out along the way. She’s not going to always do the perfect PR thing immediately, because no one does. We don’t hold ourselves to that standard.
And I agree I liked the photo where she has on the Annie Hall-esque outfit more, or the one where she is sitting crouched with the black heels on better as a cover choice than this shot.
Meghan looks great. She and harry are perfect for each other. Great couple.
In every interview, you can hear what a solid rock his love is for her. There is never a shred of insecurity, never a whiff that they have moments of doubt about each other. Despite his weird life, he is somehow exactly the man she needs him to be.
I’ve been waiting for her to finally get to this place where she feels comfortable doing a profile like this. She feels the most at ease with doing her own thing since they started their own path. One tiny thing that left me feel uncomfortable: her words about Harry are all about how he loves her and how she likes working with him. It made me feel like he was the cute coworker with a crush on her that she fends off but never completely rejects. If my husband talked about my like that in public I would not feel ok about it. I only read the excerpt here, so she might have come accross differently there.
I thought she was trolling the RF and UK media 😂
They love to write that Prince Harry is miserable with her and longs to return to the UK to live in servants’ quarters and serve as his brother’s whipping boy.
I think this picture is perfect for the cover. Meghan naturally has a bit other wordliness about her. This was not chosen for its beauty or glamour. This was what Kate’s photographer tried to achieve with those ghostly 40th birthday pictures.
Also, Meghan’s life path is sureal. The interviewer captured it and so does this picture. Remember what the Netflix CEO said about about how people react when they meet her. He has never seen such.
This cover calls to discovery. Its set apart from the usual covers.
It wont be forggoten quickly.
Same here (I wrote about it below). Even if she is trolling RR and RF by saying that, it feels that the trolling is at Harry’s expense.
Prince Harry just thanked the whole country of Canada with his WHOLE CHEST for providing him a wife.
So for Meghan to say that he really, really, really loves her is par for the course.
What I meant by trolling is that the Royal Rota continues to get bent out of shape whenever they say “my husband” and “my wife”. I love that she laid it on thick because it still won’t stop the trash tabloids from declaring the inevitability of their divorce.
I’m not seeing what the issue was with what was said. It seems as if some people have been conditioned to find something to complain about when it comes to Meghan because of the attacks she’s received only since she’s been in a relationship with Harry. As some many people have said here and elsewhere since the beginning of the attacks, it’s obvious that she really loves this man because it would take real love and strength to go from having a really easy and happy life to being a target for everything she does and says, sometimes even from people who supposedly support her. There is nothing more annoying in my view than those who supposedly support her not just enjoying the moment and appreciating what she gives us because they are too consumed with trying to find what her derangers or haters will gripe about. She obviously said that one of the things that attracted her to him was his childlike wonder and playfulness that drew her in and helped to draw that out of her as well. It’s strange to me that people want her to say a specific thing or do a specific thing and when she doesn’t somehow suddenly she spoke incorrectly. She spoke about how her being able to return to her creative side like she was when they met, it is almost like a return to the new and relaxed period of their relationship where it all began. A new, relaxed and fun period of the beginning of their relationship where they fell in love. So having an issue with how she didn’t word it correctly for your seems weird to me.
You’d be upset if your husband talked about how you brought out fun, light hearted qualities within himself that he didn’t know he had? Wild work. I think it’s sweet. I’ve already seen people (not you) trying to spin it in a “Me-gain strikes again” way and saying why she didn’t talk about how much she loves him, but I don’t think she meant it that way at all. I am sometimes also amazed at how much my husband loves me and how loudly he shows it.
Yeah, I don’t want to be too tone police-y without reading the full article, but that stood out to me, too. Now, I think it’s obvious to anyone with eyes that Meghan adores Harry just as much as he adores her, and her replying that way probably had more to do with how the interviewer phrased that particular question. But damn, it definitely sounds like something the “Harry is a besotted idiot at the mercy of his domineering, manipulative wife” crowd is going to latch onto.
Now this objection is just plain silly to me because there have been comments on this very site where people asserted they didn’t know why Meghan went through all this for Harry and he “wasn’t worth it”. Why shouldn’t she proclaim why he was?
I think Meghan has more than proven her loyalty and devotion at this point. And there’s nothing wrong with what she said – it’s not like she said “he does whatever I say”. She said he loves her.
You have to read it in context of the article. She’s talking about the media bullying of her and how Harry sometimes reads media that she’d never look at (tabloids) and how she trusts him to have her back and it’s kindof like Harry is fighting their media battles (He’s the one suing the tabloids). Like he’s her knight in shining armour and she’s so lucky. It comes across sweet to me.
Yeah, to me, it was sweet. Ain’t nothing wrong with being proud that your person loves and protects you. It’s not like we can’t also see that Meghan is down bad for her husband. And the derangers like Bower and Levin and whoever are going to call her domineering no matter what. So she might as well brag about how her husband is a good man to his wife.
@Not a Subject
Thank you for the context, admittedly, I haven’t read it. It does make it sound completely different. Harry taking on the soul destroying task of keeping track and fighting off the BM is heroic in my eyes and apparently in Meg’s too.
Yeah I think context matters.
If she was asked “why did you marry him” and she said “well he loves me a lot” that would be a little weird. I mean marry someone who loves you lol but also someone that you love. (we know Meghan loves Harry I’m just saying as a general matter.)
But here I think its in the specific context of Harry protecting her from the worst of what is out there because he loves her so much. He knows there was a time when he couldn’t protect her from the press and how bad that was for her so now he is in full on protector mode because he loves her that much. and I think its worth saying that because so many don’t view Black women as worthy of protection, especially from a white prince.
I also enjoy it as a subtle eff you to the stories about their impending divorce lol.
What is more wonderful in life than to be loved madly by someone you adore? She’s not bragging or trolling Harry, she’s expressing how incredibly lucky she feels.
I swear, some of you are just looking for something, anything to tear apart.
Meghan has spoken AT LENGTH on how much she loves, adores and respects Harry. She has even called him a dragon slayer and protector in a recent podcast interview with her friend. Her saying how much Harry loves her is a nice and petty clap back to all of the narratives that Harry is desperate to return to the RF and leave Meghan and the kids in California. To think Meghan was calling Harry a co worker that has a crush on her is…..a choice.
Yeah, that take is insane.
It’s clear that they love and cherish each other.
There are very weird people who promote the narrative of Meghan as a magical Black woman who trapped Harry by somehow casting a spell on him. Let’s not fall into that weird trap.
Her words about loving the childlike wonder and playfulness about him and how that was one of the things that drew her in when they first started dating. She loved how he sort of drew that out of her and watching her be creative and excited in her work back then. So now with her returning to the more creative and playful side of herself it’s like they are in the fresh beginning of their relationship. This couple has gone through an unbelievable amount of attacks to tear them apart so to be able to be at a point in their lives where outside forces are silenced enough for them to reconnect to the faze of their relationship where they can feel like they did at the beginning of their relationship when the rest of the world was oblivious to their relationship and they could be free and just simply love each other, is a beautiful thing and that’s what she’s describing. I love this for them, individually and as a couple. They deserve this.
Meghan said Harry loves her boldly and using that word is intentional because look at all the shit Harry has put up with for daring to love Meghan. He has been attacked by the media, by some of the public and even by his own family for daring to love Meghan. And despite all the attacks Harry remains proud to love her openly and steadfast in his love. Meghan pointing that out might make others feel uncomfortable because few men with the privilege Harry have made that same choice.
And despite all the negative attacks Harry has not become cynical. That’s what she is saying.
How can you not love someone who proudly loves you like he has with her.
Well said.
I agree with you here. I’ve heard her say this about him before, and it’s lovely – but I wish she’d also say how much she loves him too.
Samir Nasr is the first black woman to be EIC of Harper’s Bazaar which was likely part of Meghan’s decision. The photos are glorious. I like the cover photo even if there were others that I loooved. So many good looks.
And yes, the article was really good and it was the author Kaitlyn Greenidge who interviewed her! …at the tar pits, the polo lounge and a nyc brownstone. Amazing.
She was v chill. Loved when she said “I too get to make mistakes.”
I LOVE this editorial, and the cover is sublime. Very Mona Lisa, vulnerable, Meghan like we’ve never seen her before. The whole shoot is such a fresh take on royalty, in stark contrast to the jewels, gowns and golden carriages. Also this is the art issue, and the cover is art.
That black Dior jacket is stunning – all the outfits in this article are amazing. She wears everything so well and with such style. Just gorgeous. And the interview reflects the same – ease, charm, confidence, style.
She’s also wearing a red Balenciaga dress. It’s the red version of the black one she wore to the after party in Paris. There’s a profile pic of her in a half bun with the red dress that is just amazing.
Yes, and I also love her Row outfit with the trench coat and pencil skirt.
Too many good pics. I’m really enjoying them.
Oh, I think the cover photo encompasses her quote,
“There’s NO SUCH THING as PERFECT.”
She looks imperfectly PERFECT.
I noticed in other photos that not every hair is PERFECTLY in place. Minimal makeup, but finally she put colour on her nails💅🏼💅🏼💅🏼
It’s like she did not OVER THINK her look to be perfect.
That’s an interesting take on the choice. Maybe you’re right. No other kind explanation!
Oh, I think it was intentional.
“I think the moment that you start making all of your personal decisions based on external judgment, then you lose your authenticity,” @meghan t\
The pressure for her to be perfect… just so that they can tear her down.
“There’s no such thing as perfect. I, too, get to make mistakes. There’s also not a lot of fun in trying to be perfect. So why try to do that if you want to have fun?”@meghan
The interview is great but overall I don’t think these photos do her justice – def not the cover photo – but some are really beautiful.
The cover is criminal considering the other photos they could have chosen.
I loved it.
This entire thing was for her critics and haters to see how comfortable she is now. The minimal makeup and hairstyling that she loves and they always criticize, the luxury jewelry, the power neutral outfits, the proclamation how much Harry loves her. It’s like the DS Longchamp bag she carries. I love all of this so much, lol. She looks and is phenomenal.
Agree Crystal. Perfectly said.
The cover is terrible! Why would they put her on there with the cavernous lighting and the awkward hanging locks of hair?! I love the photo in the red drape, and the pose in the white suit is bold and a fresh way to see her. Either of those would have been soooo much better for a cover IMO.
I love the cover. Meghan would look beautiful in a brown paper sack.
Replying to Sonya says:
Absolutely!! She is beautiful. She is subverting expectations. She is expected to be perfect, not a hair out of place … not a foot out of step.
She showed up as human and still is breathtakingly beautiful.
Agree! She would not only look beautiful, but confident, happy, and fulfilled.
Absolutely love the cover photo. It shows her natural beauty, no fillers, filters etc., just her freckles. Meghan is recognized globally for her beauty. The cover photo hinted at things to come on the inside of her narrative. Those gutter rats probably got word from Harper’s Bizarre they were doing a cover of Meghan. The way they stalk this woman unsurprising they knew she was being featured. Also loved how she spoke of her husband. Been pretty clear for some time there is deep love between them.
The cover is PERFECT, in that it’s not trying to be perfect, and that’s a message Meghan has been repeating throughout this year – whether in WLM or in the COAFF podcast.
Honestly, the photos are great, my fave is the one with the monochrome white trouser outfit where she’s lounging on a chair. The behind the scenes footage is also an absolute treat!
What a coup, this Harpers’ Baazar cover. THE response to the bs Vanity Fair hit piece. It’s a joy to read the various articles and check out the photos. I just wish Meghan did something like this every year!
The usual hateful Karens are in shock, trying to pull together criticisms that’ll sound anything other than bitter and pathetic.
Give up, losers, Meghan is winning!
She rocks white. I think it every time I see her in it.
Like, white just completely sets off her gorgeous glow and freckles… so polished…
She is so gorgeous. I do not love the cover, but I guess it is some artistic angle of natural, undone that is going over my common-minded brain and taste…
I didn’t like the cover or the article. I just feel like there is always an edge with the interview. I think she comes across well but I didn’t like the interviewer – I felt like there was some mocking at points.
Huh. I didn’t get that. It seemed pretty strait-forward. I’ve found the nyt and the cut to be snarkier.
Not at all. I think the pictures and the interview were all extremely well done.
I think the cover makes the statement she wanted to make. She certainly was able to approve the cover. “perfectly imperfect, on my own terms,” is what the cover says to me. It’s a strateegic choice. Not high gloss. Aspirational photos inside. Everyone else wants to tell her who she is. The British media has their own narrative about her that they’ve spent years pushing. Meghan’s fans are so protective of her (understandably so) that we want her to be at her absolute best, all the time, knowing she will be picked apart mercilessly.
(But we forget sometimes that being at ones absolute best doesn’t prevent the merciless critique. We forget that it’s impossible to excel your way out of bigotry. The bigots will always move the goalposts because their hate is more important to them than any sense of fair play)
I’m so glad that Meghan isn’t caught up in the “I have to be perfect at all times” mentality that’s so destructive. For her to have gone through that traumatizing experience of having an entire country’s media weaponized against her, and to have come out on the other side happy, healthy, and successful is an amazing achievement in itself. She’s a story of resilience.
Ironically, it’s Kate, who’s disappearing before our eyes, who is caught up in the “must be perfect all all costs” mentality. Ironic because she has the entire British establishment on her side, and she’s still not hacking it. The fact that Meghan has the happy life, the husband who loves her, the ability to live her life on her own terms, the beautiful home and beautiful children, must be a bitter cup to swallow for Kate. She has the whole damn British media spotlight to herself, just as she wanted. I don’t think anyone other than a deranger can look at her and say she has a happy or an enviable life.
hear-hear!
@Lanne: So true. I’d feel sorry for Kate if she wasn’t a terrible person.
Yeah, I hate to bring Keen into the conversation but when Meghan said Harry always has her back….. I mean we’ve seen Peg and the establishment throw Kate under the bus in real time.
Beautifully said Ianne!
Really good points made. I know there are fans wanting to see Meghan in the couture gown with the bold makeup and big royal style jewelry but that’s not her or where she’s at right now. Contrast this beautiful minimalist cover with some of the stills from her holiday special where she’s in the beautiful dresses and more made up. We are being so well fed with Meghan content so there is no need for white glove treatment of the cover. I love it the way it is.
I LOVE the cover. This isn’t a “glam” shot it’s a “this is who I am shot.” This is a “see me” photo, no make-up, no fancy jewellery, “look at me; the woman.” The photo epitomises what Meghan does best, IMHO she’s messaging to other women that they don’t need full make-overs to show who they really are. As others have said there are definitely more glamorous photos in the article but, the cover is making a statement and I love that she had the courage to make it.
I agree the cover photo is not the best (IMO) of the photos I’ve seen so far. What does strike me about the cover, is how much Meghan looks like Doria. I hadn’t spotted the resemblance in this way before.
Genuinely astonished that people have issues with the way Meghan described Harry’s love for her. The question wasn’t about building a business together etc. And I certainly don’t think their dynamic is remotely portable to other people. Also it misses one of the huge points of the article, which is that since some people will find fault with anything Meghan must just live authentically and not worry about it. It’s not her job in this interview to tear down 3 decades of his family and his country’s narrative on him.
I like the cover photo. She looks like herself. And I love the way her lovely hair is all behind her.. no wiglet’s of huge brassy fake curls here!
Meghan looks incredible in this shoot. She has always had a unisex edge to her styling, but they really took it up a notch with the poses for this cover. That, paired with the menswear-inspired pieces, along with the bare open face and completely pulled-back hair, leans into an androgyny in her appearance to a degree that we have never seen before. It’s a very daring move, and royal fashion has been extremely boring lately.
The thing about Meghan is that she is both conservative and modernistic in her approach to dressing. Not only that, but she is CONSISTENT. While this is a fashion shoot, none of the outfits are out of the wheelhouse of what Meghan would put together herself. Her fashion ID is still there but taken in a new direction. I absolutely love it.
🎯
You said it all! Very unique. A bit Diane Keaton and Tilda Swinton.
I love all the photos but I love the interview even more. I think she seems to be really in a good place now and enjoying life. I think we underestimate how much trauma she had suffered after she married Harry and that it took a long time to heal. She’s very brave and no one would blame if she just wanted to hide after what the Royal Family and the British press put her through.
Nah. There are definitely some opps in this comment section. Side eyeing…
Oh definitely and Meghan makes these women uncomfortable. Just like when she and Harry did the engagement interview.
Side-eyeing here, too.
Meghan really cannot win with some people.
I too love all the photos, and the interview, which I saw & read in full before stopping by here this morning.
I love the minimal- or no-makeup, minimal hair & jewelry look she went with here. It’s astonishing how healthy she looks, how unworn by tension or unhappiness.
She has clearly made a peace with the way some of the world chooses to see her, and she’s chosen to be fully present in her life and in her loves.
The one single thing I didn’t care for was the makeup they did for the photo with the red dress. That thin line of liquid eyeliner across the middle of her lids was just strange. Even the lip gloss was a bad color choice for her. But the photo overall is stunning.
I’m just so happy to see her continue to rise. Fly, Duchess!! Love Wins! 💛🐝🍯
I love the photos and the cover – the black jacket is beautiful. I think a lot of folks are used to seeing celebs all glammed up for photo shoots (that’s why people are hesitant about these pics). I can’t wait to read the article.
100% Agree. I Love the cover and all the photos! Soft Business Chic.. lol xo GO DUCHESS OF SUSSEX!!
She’s seen on her Insta all the time without the glam. No need for the lack of it on a magazine cover. Magazines aren’t real life. Give me the fantasy. This is a boring cover meant for something like Time or a memoir.
It’s not boring. Boring things don’t spark conversation and are forgotten in an instant. This cover is not that at.all.
She can glam up in parties. This is her showing how she really is, without a kilo of make up, hair extensions, fake eyelashes. Very natural look and looks amazing for 44.
Wait’s people are on the phone now, groveling to every editor for a cover. I love that Meghan looks fantastic barely wearing any makeup and she feels free to talk about her life a bit. I love that for her and I love if even more the BRF. EAT. YOUR. HEARTS. OUT!
I think my main criticism, and it holds true for this story and all the media projects she’s done since leaving, is that the friends who get involved in them spend so much time talking about how wonderful she is. I understand wanting to combat the image of a self obsessed narcissist that the British media machine tirelessly churns out, but there comes a point where having all these people with their own work and projects come in just to talk about what a great person Meghan is feels like it’s playing into the image they’re trying to combat rather successfully combating it. More show, less tell, please.
It’s standard for interviews to include comments from friends and people who know the individual closely in the profile. Why would you expect people who are being interviewed about Meghan to start talking about themselves? And Meghan hasn’t done an interview like this in years. Most of the stories are comments from so-called royalties experts or are culled from previous interviews or appearances.
Only someone who hasn’t been paying attention (or has perhaps been filtering? or living under a rock?) would think there hasn’t been enough ‘show’.
Archewell Parent’s Network. World Central Kitchen. Invictus. Fortune Most Powerful Women. COAFF. WLM. Humanitarians of the Year Award. Etc Etc Etc Etc Etc.
What a disingenuous comment!
@Plums: This is weird. Are you expecting her friends to bash her in interviews and she’s hardly going to invite people on her shows that hate her.
The daily mail is there everyday bashing her so does she really need to have her friends to do it too?
Plums, did it occur to you that she is in reality a great friend? We’ve heard from several of her friends that she ALWAYS shows up. No matter what the issue is. She’s there to celebrate or help if you’re ill or … well you get the drift.
Everyone should have this type of friend in their life. This is what people have said consistently not simply since she married H, but when she was on Suits. She has close friends from college. That should tell you something.
I suggest you read any of the British tabloids–they are good are character assassination.
I also think a lot of Meghan’s friends are somewhat protective of her too. And they know how the BM can twist their words so they’re just not going to go into a lot of detail. But I enjoyed hearing about how Serena and Meghan like to talk over mimosas and hours can go by that felt like 10 minutes. And now I want a mimosa, lol. At the end of the day, this is a promotional piece for Meghan and WLM and Asever so I wouldn’t expect her friends to not be saying good things. Could they or her be more open and off the cuff? Sure but I get why they’re not. It was a sweet interview as intended.
Everything about Harry confirms the truth of her simple statement. Harry loves boldly and fully. He does everything fully, with his full chest. I think he himself says this in Spare. His determination to take on the press, for example. A good interview worth reading. The way some people have to scrutinise every word she utters is insane.
I’ve noticed over the last several years that Harper’s Bazaar has been one of the few mags that hasn’t jumped on the trashing of Meghan bandwagon. From what I’ve seen they’ve always been truthfully positive in their articles about H&M. I’m so glad she did a cover and interview for them. I have a free subscription to it through KindleUnlimited so I’m especially happy about the cover and article. It hasn’t actually come out yet so I appreciate this preview. Thank you Kaiser. The photos, clothes and makeup are gorgeous. The cover isn’t my favorite one of the photos. I think because the jacket is so glamorous. I can see the contrast is artistic but something simpler in clothing would have looked better with her no makeup look IMO. I really admire Meghan and Harry’s work ethic. They are such a great match!
All my respect for a publication that is not taking KP and BP money!
🎯
First interview that seems to be without the obligatory snark. Really enjoyed the photos. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but Meghan looks a little different here. My one thought is that this is the mature Megan and she is entering her prime.
I love the article too. It’s not snarky like The Cut was, it’s very balanced and fair. The photos are stunning. She’s just such a beautiful woman and her kindness shines through her eyes.
I think it’s a good article too , no snark, no fawning. Would have liked a few more hard hitting questions but fashion magazines don’t do that. Thinking back to the Cut interview, there was definitely an insecurity in the writer and Meghan was so less confident and wanting to be liked, and the writer sensed that and used it . Also, that writer was one of the first people to taste Meghan’s homemade jam and she never made the connection that it was the beginning of AsEver. What a missed opportunity and New York magazine has had it in for Meghan ever since.
I think the difference you are seeing is because she isn’t smiling like she normally does so you don’t see the smile on her face or in her eyes in some of the photos. She’s a gorgeous woman and her smile is part of who she is, so not seeing it in some photos is the difference.
I really like this photo on the cover, and I love it. For me, it is by far the most impressive statement she has made personally. A deep bow, Meghan, thank you. The world sees you. ❣️
I wonder if she was posing for the cover when this was taken. It doesn’t feel performative.
Fashion photos are always snapshots of a person in motion. At least in modern times. Nobody poses anymore. A photographer takes lots of photos of a person talking, moving, walking around, dancing, playing, etc.
I Like the cover too. Its soft business chic. People are saying there are better pics inside the magazine or during her behind the scenes video shoot that could have been the cover but I think this was done Intentionally and we know Meghan had some say as well. BRAVA DUCHESS MEGHAN! GORGEOUS! .. THANK YOU SAMIR NASR! xoxoxo
Reading these comments I have concluded that M will never please all of her media manager fans. It’s always too much this or not enough of that. I’m glad she is ignoring the noise and doing what feels right for her and her family.
I love this entire article and I can’t wait to purchase it. The interview was probably her best one. It sort of reminds me slightly of her interview before they were married and she was wearing that beautiful black white ball gown. She was so innocent and unaware of the hell she would be forced to experience, but now she’s clearly at the point in her life where she is more at peace and closer to where she was when they first met. In that article she spoke about them simply being two people who are in love and was unaware that that would be what held them together through the most impossible situations. Them being at a point in their relationship where they can truly relax and be fully loved and loving in their relationship with each other because what is external really doesn’t matter. I love all of the photos, even the cover which even though it wasn’t my favorite, was her gorgeous fresh faced self being comfortable in her own skin. All of the clothes were so Meghan in their own way and her BTS video of it all was even better to see her enjoying herself.
For the people subtly perpetuating the Me-gain narrative in this comment section, consider the context:
“She puts her hand on her heart when she talks about her husband. ‘He loves me so boldly, fully, and he also has a different perspective because he sees media that I wouldn’t …'”
She is paying Harry a COMPLIMENT. Should she have said, “I love Harry so boldly, fully …”? If she had said that, she would have been praising her own ability to love.
FFS.
I love the red dress on the cover but I was confused about Meghan’s expression until I read the article and then it made sense to me. My favorite thing about the HB article is how there was a photo that referenced every facet of Meghan’s public life. The interviewer and Meghan discussed why the voices of multi-layered women tend to be distrusted and while they couldn’t come up with a definitive answer the the photo spread really demonstrated all the different hats Meghan wears. We get Meghan the business woman in the trench coat, Meghan the philanthropist in the black tank, Meghan the glamourous fashionista on the creme couch, Meghan the every woman sitting on the floor with the popped collar dress shirt. It goes on and on and really emphasizes how trying to stick in in a one dimensional box is a disservice to her.
In addition to the photos the article describes a Meghan who is bi-coastal, comfortable with her fame, happy in her home life and constantly planning for the future. I really enjoyed getting to learn about Meghan via an interviewer who didn’t seem to have an agenda.
Harry and Meghan have survived every concerted attempt to break them up. They’re still in love. All of their trials strengthened them as a couple and as a family. While certainly don’t envy them having the future king of England as an enemy, they can honestly say that they did everything they could to keep their conflict with his abusive family civil—but their refusal to set themselves on fire to appease their abusers is their unforgivable sin. Talking about Meghan’s description of Harry’s love outside that context is pretty disingenuous to me. So many people are talking here as if she’s just another celebrity on a junket promoting a project. Few other public figures have every single word they say parsed like Meghan. We can all agree to disagree about the cover. Different strokes. But I’m side eyeing some of the people criticizing her for saying her husband loves her. Is that really so controversial? If she didn’t say it “the right way,” what is the right way?
I’m going to my local bookstore tonight to see if they have this issue. Must get a copy. I love all the photos and the behind the scenes videos. I get why some people would have wanted a different look or more makeup for the cover but I love this photo and think it is very impactful. This is a portrait in strength that is beyond fashion. She looks vulnerable but so confident at the same time. Also beautiful outfit. It was a good interview. She never comes out swinging but she asserts herself and her POV and a few little jabs as well. I love that the haters were ready to go on about her Netflix trailer and Bazaar drops this cover. They don’t know which way to turn. Like dropping a house on all the wicked witches out there. Happy for Meghan, hope she and Harry continue to build and thrive.
A theory about the Netflix Kiss 😘
Is Meghan trolling Billy and Kitty?
The world knows they like to copy 🐵 everything the Sussexes do.
Kudos to Billy, who didn’t even flinch 🥶 this time, being next to Kitty at the gala.
So what if the Netflix Kiss is tormenting Billy and Kitty to kiss publicly 🤢
They have already shown excessive (for them) PDA and have even held hands 😳
… do they dare copy the Netflix Kiss?
I love Meghan’s fashion sense, very quiet luxury and modern, while the other one is looking like she stepped out of Little House on the Prairie…👵🏻
I like her bare faced look for the cover but I wish they would have put her in clothes to match the vibes. A white tank, jeans, no shoes. With this black suit it could have been okay if they had popped on only a bold red lip and some gloss on the lids. With 0 make up on the face I feel like the black really overwhelms her.
Oh my gosh Megan broke royal protocol by having a December magazine cover. Does she know that only is allowed to have December covers?
Royal Rota this week, probably.
Read through the content & comments on this post and the other post about the Middleton Duchess & her husband’s night outing, the double standard set upon the 2 British Royal Duchesses is concerning. But not surprising.
Years passed, truth & lies had been told, still the same — the black one must achieve the highest standard and the other one must be praised for one thing or something even if it’s basic.
@Jais: Yikes! I broke my fibula earlier this year, in January. I didn’t go to the doctor immediately because I couldn’t figure out a way to get there without crawling. 😉 When I did go & explained the issue, the orthopedic PA only Xray’d my foot, not my whole leg, so the break went undiagnosed for another month until I went to my hip doctor for a checkup. I explained the issue to that orthopedic PA who said, oh, I bet it’s a such & such break. So they Xray’d my leg & sure enough, that was it. So I was walking around on a broken leg for a month! Driving was killer, too. You have my sympathy! Harla, too! Broken bones are the pits!
Oops, this was meant to reply to Jais further up.