Meghan Markle pays tribute to her ‘friend and mentor’ Gloria Steinem with emotional post

Meghan Markle pays tribute to her ‘friend and mentor’ Gloria Steinem with emotional post The Duchess of Sussex has shared a moving post to feminist campaigner and author Gloria Steinem, who has died at the age of 92, as she recalled her ‘very favourite story’ about the activist Meghan Markle has paid tribute to her ‘friend and mentor’ Gloria Steinem, who has passed away at the age of 92. The feminist campaigner and author “passed away peacefully at her home in New York City, surrounded by some of the many who loved her", according to a statement. Steinem was remembered as one of the trailblazers for women's equality after she died on Wednesday in New York City. She dedicated her life to advocating and campaigning for a number of issues including equal pay and reproductive rights. The Duchess of Sussex had a long friendship with Steinem, as she recalled her ‘very favourite story’ about the activist and author in a lengthy social media post. Meghan posted three photos to her Instagram, one of which shows a picture of a photo frame containing a snap of Steinem with Prince Archie when he was little. The other two photos show the two women together, one where they are smiling and posing for the camera, while the other shows the two women sitting outside deep in candid conversation. To accompany the post, Meghan added the song Just Because I'm a Woman by Dolly Parton. In her lengthy and emotional caption, the duchess recalled some of Steinem’s pioneering work, and recalled some of the sweet moments they shared together. Meghan wrote: “Celebrating the life and legacy of my friend and mentor, Gloria Steinem, and also grateful to know that in these last few weeks and days she knew exactly how loved and admired she was. “You all know her many accolades and the way in which she helped shape the world for women and all people - ‘we are linked, not ranked’ she would tell me, and the bracelet she gave me said exactly that. I still wear it with pride. The Duchess continued: “Publicly, we did interviews together, called young voters to encourage them to have their voices heard, attended award ceremonies, and brainstormed how to help this beautiful yet complicated world to become more equitable. “But privately, she was even better than you would imagine- spending Thanksgiving with our family, introducing me to one of my best friends (forever the champion of female friendship), loving our children with her whole heart, counselling me during hard times, and giving extraordinary advice and perspective with a cup of tea and an unrivalled cheekiness and wit.” Meghan then spoke about her ‘very favourite story’ about her friend, as she recalled: “When she was out one day in NY, and a woman approached her in absolute awe and said she wanted to introduce her young daughter to her (though she was embarrassed to say the young girl may not know who she was). “Gloria replied: ‘It doesn’t matter if she knows who I am. What matters is that she knows who SHE is.’ Rest in peace, and rest in pride. Look at what you’ve done for all of us. Thank you,” Meghan concluded the post. Meghan has previously spoken fondly of Steinem, as she said in an interview with Vogue in 2022: "She reminds me that when you have anger, you have to channel that energy into something that makes a difference. That’s what activism is. It’s about how we show up." Steinem and Meghan met shortly after the Duke and Duchess moved to California in 2020 after quitting their royal roles, and quickly formed a strong friendship. Steinem, who co-founded the Ms. Foundation, presented Meghan with a 2023 Women of Vision award, for her global advocacy to empower and advocate on behalf of women and girls. During her acceptance speech, Meghan said, "Thank you for the leadership that has brought all of us here tonight. And to my friend Gloria for the inspiration that you are, for your mentorship, your sage advice, your extraordinarily cheeky sense of humour, and of course, for your incredible friendship: Thank you." Steinem rose to prominence in the late 1960s and early 1970s, during the second wave of feminism. One of her most ground-breaking pieces was produced back in 1963, when she went undercover as a Playboy bunny for 11 days and penned a two-part exposé of the eye-opening experience. News of Steinem’s death was announced this morning in a statement shared on her Instagram account which said: “Gloria’s near-century on earth were years well-lived, and she continued working for equality until the very end. Gloria’s greatest gift was her ability to listen to others, to make others feel seen and heard. "Her words, actions and example gave people permission to be their truest selves. Gloria lived true to her independent spirit, always with curiosity and a great sense of humour.” Tributes have poured in for the pioneering activist from actors Sandra Bullock and Julianne Moore, singer-songwriter Patti Smith and former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton.