Meghan Markle brushed off as Edward Enninful's EE72 launches; Charles and Camilla welcomed

LONDON — Edward Enninful has ruled out a return collaboration with Meghan Markle for his new publication EE72, which kicked off with a star-studded party in London on Friday night. The former British Vogue editor, 53, said he has no plans to work again with the Duchess of Sussex, noting that he had already done a notable project with her and would not necessarily repeat himself.

Enninful, who launched EE72 as a multi-platform venture with four print editions annually and an accompanying online platform, also used a timed interview with The Times to praise Meghan’s relatives by marriage. He said he loves King Charles and Queen Camilla and would be happy to include them in the magazine, adding that they care about the same causes he supports. “I love King Charles and Queen Camilla – I went to the coronation with Katy Perry. I am happy to have them in the magazine. They care about the same things I do,” he said.

EE72 aims to blend celebrity-driven features with cultural and charitable storytelling, drawing on familiar faces as well as new profiles. Enninful has recruited high-watility names for the project, including Julia Roberts, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Naomi Campbell, his longtime friend and collaborator. The project’s concept reflects Enninful’s history of curating influential women and moments in fashion and media, a trajectory that began in his teens when he became fashion director of i-D magazine.

Meghan Markle’s relationship with Enninful has been a prominent subplot in fashion and royal media narratives since her 2019 guest edit of British Vogue’s September issue, titled Forces for Change. That edition became the publication’s fastest-selling issue in its 104-year history, celebrated for highlighting inspirational women. Yet the friendship that many assumed existed between the duchess and Enninful grew strained in subsequent years.

A May report in the Mail on Sunday outlined what insiders described as a breakdown in the pair’s friendship after a disagreement over how Vogue planned to frame Meghan and Harry’s charitable work. The project would have included an extensive print feature and digital coverage tied to Meghan’s One Young World keynote appearance in Manchester in 2022, but editors said the digital and print package was scrapped, leaving Meghan’s team with limited opportunities beyond a broader feature. The article described escalations that allegedly culminated in Enninful offering Meghan a substantial feature, which the duchess reportedly declined before stepping back from further collaboration.

Prior to that, Meghan’s supporters had questioned her absence from Vogue’s March 2024 issue, which celebrated 40 women under the banner of what was then Enninful’s tenure as editor. The issue, praised by many for its inclusivity and star power, notably did not feature Meghan on the cover, fueling speculation about the state of their alliance and the editorial directions of the magazine.

Enninful’s public profile in royal circles has remained high. He has been a Global Ambassador for the King’s Trust since 2021 and has spoken publicly about his favorable view of the monarch. In the same year he attended the coronation party with Katy Perry, and he has repeatedly credited King Charles for personal and professional opportunities rooted in charity and social uplift. Critics and supporters alike have pointed to a broader pattern in which Enninful’s editorial choices intersect with royal life, sometimes frictionally, at other times supportively.

The EE72 launch comes as Enninful continues to expand his influence beyond fashion magazines into digital platforms and cross-media storytelling. He has said that the publication’s mission includes spotlighting philanthropic work and enlightening conversations around culture, identity, and social change, a vision that aligns with his long-standing commitment to diversity in fashion.

The rift with Meghan remains a talking point for observers who note how closely Enninful and Meghan were once aligned during her Vogue guest edit, as well as how their professional paths diverged in the years that followed. Yet Enninful’s public comments about Charles and Camilla—and his openness to featuring them—underscore a reframing of the magazine’s guest-list strategy, centered more squarely on figures who reflect the realms of charity, culture, and modern monarchy.

As EE72 unfolds, publishers and critics will watch whether the publication can sustain the cachet of its celebrity-driven launch while maintaining a steady cadence of original reporting and design-forward storytelling. The project’s success may hinge on balancing high-profile collaborations with sustained, independent editorial voice—an equilibrium Enninful has long attempted to strike across his career, from i-D to Vogue and beyond.

Ultimately, Meghan Markle’s absence from Enninful’s latest creative endeavor—contrasted with the warm public framing of King Charles and Queen Camilla—speaks to the broader, evolving conversations around celebrity partnerships, royal access, and how fashion media negotiates personal history with public interest. The launch of EE72 marks a new chapter for Enninful’s editorial empire, one that will be watched closely by industry observers, fashion fans, and readers seeking a blend of glamour, culture, and social insight.