Meghan’s one-time boyfriend Edward Enninful says British monarchy ‘not perfect’ but King Charles can ‘evolve with the times’
Edward Enninful, editor of British Vogue, hailed King Charles as a monarch who could “evolve with the times” despite being the head of an imperfect institution.
Mr Enninful, who was once a close friend of Meghan Markle, paid tribute to the royal as “charming”, “funny” and “cute” as he wrote the royal’s entry in Time magazine List of the 100 most influential people for the year 2023.
The fashion editor, 51, who is also an ambassador for King Charles’ charity The Prince’s Trust, noted how the organization helped people he knew working as a child living on a council estate in west London.
He noted that the King “didn’t have to do any of that,” and praised Charles, 74, for his commitment to improving opportunities for young people from poor backgrounds.
‘He could have let his privilege shield him from the facts of our sufferings at a time when these were not a chief cause,’ said Mr. Enninful in writing the entry. But he always met us with an open mind and a listening ear.
British Vogue editor-in-chief Edward Enninful (pictured with King Charles at the Prince Trust Awards in 2021) hailed the monarch’s ability to ‘evolve with the times’ in getting the monarch into Time magazine’s 2023 list of most influential people.
He added that he thought the monarchy was “not perfect” but that King Charles had the power to modernize things.
Mr Enniful’s royal ties don’t end with King Charles, as he also developed a friendship with the Duchess of Sussex when he collaborated with her on a 2019 issue of British Vogue.
The Forces for Change issue featured inspiring women including actresses Gemma Chan and Jane Fonda and former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on the front cover.
When it was published in September, it was the fastest-selling issue in the magazine’s 104-year history, selling out in less than 10 days.
The British Vogue editor, 51, was a one-time friend of the Duchess of Sussex after the two collaborated on the magazine’s Forces for Change issue in September 2019.
Mr Enninful once said of the Duchess of Sussex that she was a ‘brave woman’ but added that the intense criticism she received was not only due to racism.
The following year, Mr Enninful spoke to Sky News about the criticism Meghan received when she joined the royal family, arguing he didn’t think it was just racism.
Describing the duchess as a “brave woman”, he said: “Parts of it may have been racist, but it was more of an institution.”
He added that while the criticism was “harsh”, he “wouldn’t just blame it on racism”, saying: “She walked into an institution and everyone expected her to know the rules. And I think sometimes it takes a minute to understand the rules.”
But he went on to say that he believed her treatment was “very unfair”.
The British Vogue editor-in-chief’s powerful words about King Charles come days after it was announced that Prince Harry will attend the coronation, but Meghan will remain in California with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
Buckingham Palace confirmed the news in a statement on Wednesday, saying it was ‘happy to confirm’ that the Duke of Sussex will be at Westminster Abbey on May 6.
But the Duchess will stay home at the couple’s home in Montecito with Lilibet and one-year-old Archie, whose fourth birthday falls on the same day as the celebration.
The couple’s friend Omid Scobie confirmed that Archie’s birthday “played a factor in the couple’s decision” and predicted it would be a “fairly quick trip to the UK” for Harry. The Duke will only attend the ceremony itself, which will likely last a few hours.
A royal observer told MailOnline: ‘Charles would be delighted. The rest of the family will be relieved that Meghan won’t be there – it would have been particularly uncomfortable for Kate.
Harry and Meghan had controversially delayed their decision on whether they would travel to the ceremony, despite their RSVP deadline ending on April 3.
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