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Meghan Markle's Vogue cover inspires Forces for Change event

Meghan Markle’s record-breaking Vogue issue has inspired an event based on her “Forces for Change” initiative – and she’ll be in the UK at the same time.

Edward Enninful, the editor of British Vogue, confirmed he will be hosting an “inspirational event” at London’s Southbank Centre, building on the success of the duchess’s issue.

The event description adds: “We bring together some of the world’s leading activists, artists and fashion pioneers to talk about change, action, and how you can make a difference.”

Announcing the event on Instagram, Enninful said: “I’m so pleased to present the very first @BritishVogue #ForcesForChange event, the Change-Maker Talks, as part of the 10th anniversary @WOWGlobal Festival in @SouthbankCentre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall.

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“Join me and a host of my dear friends, including the formidable @SalmaHayek, on Saturday 7 March for an evening of intimate discussion and inspiration.”

This undated handout photo issued on July 28, 2019 by Kensington Palace shows Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Patron of Smart Works, in the workroom of the Smart Works London office. - Prince Harry's wife Meghan will guest edit the September issue of iconic fashion magazine British Vogue, which will see her in "candid conversation" with former first lady Michelle Obama. (Photo by @SussexRoyal / various sources / AFP) / XGTY / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / @SUSSEXROYAL" - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - NO COMMERCIAL USE - NO THIRD PARTY SALES - RESTRICTED TO SUBSCRIPTION USE - NO CROPPING OR MODIFICATION - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS /         (Photo credit should read @SUSSEXROYAL/AFP via Getty Images)
Meghan working on the issue last summer (Getty)
BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 09:  Salma Hayek attends the 2020 Vanity Fair Oscar Party at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on February 09, 2020 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Toni Anne Barson/WireImage)
Salma Hayek will be at the Southbank Centre for the event (Getty)

It’s planned for 7 March, which happens to coincide with the next time Meghan is in the UK.

A spokesman for her and her husband Prince Harry confirmed the couple will be at a series of engagements around Britain in the early part of March.

Both of them will be at the Endeavour Fund awards on 5 March, and Meghan will be marking International Women’s Day on 8 March.

But she’s already got something in the diary for 7 March.

Read more: Will losing Sussex Royal impact Harry and Meghan's brand power?

She and Harry will be at the Royal Albert Hall for the Mountbatten Festival of Music.

The only way she could attend both would be if she and the prince attended the matinee, making her free in the evening for the Vogue event.

But it’s unlikely the Royal Family will be at the afternoon concert.

LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 16: Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend the Cirque du Soleil Premiere Of "TOTEM" at Royal Albert Hall on January 16, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Paul Grover - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
The couple will be at the Royal Albert Hall on the same evening the Southbank event takes place (Getty)

Enninful announced that Meghan’s issue sold out in 10 days, the fastest selling issue in the history of British Vogue and was the biggest selling issue of the decade.

The pair also released a video which gave a behind the scenes look of them calling some of the cover stars of the Forces for Change issue, and reminiscing about their first meeting.

Meghan spoke about tentatively asking him for help with her SmartWorks charity, while Enninful revealed he jumped at the chance to let her guest edit.

Read more: The 360: Does it matter if Meghan and Harry are gone for good?

The duchess’ issue put 15 women on the front who she dubbed “Forces for Change”, including people like Greta Thunberg, Jacinda Ardern and Jane Fonda.

Of the issue, the duchess said: “Through this lens I hope you’ll feel the strength of the collective in the diverse selection of women chosen for the cover as well as the team of support I called upon within the issue to help bring this to light. I hope readers feel as inspired as I do, by the ‘Forces for Change’ they’ll find within these pages.”

With their clear friendship, maybe we will see the duchess at one of the future Change-Maker talks.