Dame Anna Wintour has finally addressed the swirling rumours about the Princess of Wales potentially appearing on the cover of Vogue, albeit with a cryptic remark.
The esteemed editor-in-chief of the iconic fashion magazine was at Buckingham Palace yesterday to receive a special accolade from King Charles.
The 75-year-old, who has helmed Vogue since 1988, was appointed a Companion of Honour in the 2023 King’s Birthday Honours list for her contributions to the fashion industry.
This prestigious recognition places her among other luminaries such as Dame Judi Dench, Sir Elton John, David Hockney, and Sir Paul McCartney.
In a rare gesture, she took off her sunglasses to accept her award. The Order of the Companions of Honour, established on June 4, 1917, by George V, is exclusive to 65 members at any given time and honours those with a significant impact on the arts, science, medicine, or government.
Post-ceremony, while donning Alexander McQueen, Dame Anna was questioned about claims that the Princess of Wales had been offered global covers with Vogue, reports the Mirror.
She responded with a smile, saying: “Yeah, I don’t know where those (rumours) have come from, do you?”
Having flown in from Dubai and set to return to New York, Dame Anna expressed: “It’s wonderful to be back at Buckingham Palace and I was completely surprised and overwhelmed to be given this great honour.
“The last time I was here the Queen gave me a medal and we both agreed that we had been doing our job a very long time, and then this morning His Majesty asked me if this meant I was going to stop working and I said firmly, no.”
Dame Anna reminisced about her previous royal encounter and promptly denied any intent to retire during her visit to Buckingham Palace, where she has also overseen the Met Gala since 1995.
Meanwhile, artist Dame Tracey Emin, who received a damehood for her contributions to art, joined the ranks of those honoured at the Palace.
Nearby, the Princess of Wales embraced her role with youthful vigour, catching a minibus with pupils from All Souls CE Primary School in Fitzrovia to attend an engagement at the National Portrait Gallery in Trafalgar Square.
Hand-in-hand with the four and five-year-olds, the Princess launched the educational Bobeam Tree Trail, part of her Royal Foundation for Early Childhood initiative, based on the Shaping Us Campaign’s framework which highlights key social and emotional skills essential for wellbeing at all stages of life.
The event blended her commitment to the arts with her devotion to early childhood development as she partook in activities with the children that integrate portraits to foster these vital competencies.
The trail is centred around a magical tree adorned with vibrant, colourful leaves that flourish when immersed in stories.
Children were encouraged to aid the tree by uncovering the narratives of individuals portrayed in the artworks – delving into facial expressions, listening to audio recordings and utilising props.
Kate accompanied the students and teachers as they investigated how faces can convey emotions and feelings. They were also prompted to reflect on their own lives, emotions and thoughts while crafting a self-portrait, which they could opt to ‘feed’ to the tree to help it grow robust and tall.
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