Earlier this week, American actress Laverne Cox became the first-ever transgender cover star of British Vogue as part of the publication’s September issue, which was guest edited by the Duchess of Sussex. However, despite the cover being in the works for a while, it wasn’t until last week that the Orange Is the New Black star was told she was chosen by Meghan Markle – on a surprise phone call with Meghan herself.
“I did not find that out until last week,” Laverne told People. “Edward Enninful [British Vogue’s Editor in Chief] called me at 9:30 in the morning and he’s like, ‘I have someone on the phone for you,’ and it was the Duchess of Sussex.”
Laverne added that Meghan was “so lovely” on the phone, saying, “She just thanked me for being an inspiration and to keep it up.”
“I did tell her I had been a fan of Suits since the beginning,” Laverne continued. “I had been a fan of hers since then. I just loved her on the show. She just said, ‘Awww.’ She seemed surprised.”
Of her groundbreaking cover, the 47-year-old said it was “a dream come true. It’s been one of my biggest dreams and here it is.”
RELATED: Prince Harry Says He And Meghan Markle Will Have ‘Two Children, Maximum’
Laverne also drew comparisons to Meghan and Prince Harry’s late mother, Princess Diana. “She has been such a huge inspiration for so many of us,” she told People of the Duchess. “Yes, as an African American member of the royal family, but I think a lot about Prince Harry’s mother, Princess Diana, and what she meant to so many people. She wanted to help and be of service to the world — it feels like Prince Harry chose a partner who embodies so much of what his mother stood for.”
This article originally appeared on InStyle Australia
