She loved our children”: Meghan Markle pays tribute to her friend Gloria Steinem, who died at 92
A bracelet engraved with a phrase dear to her friend, memories of Thanksgiving shared as a family, and children who learned to love a remarkable woman: this is how Meghan Markle chose to say goodbye to Gloria Steinem, who died on 2 September in New York at the age of 92. On Instagram, the Duchess of Sussex paid a deeply personal tribute to the woman she considered far more than an activist icon.
A bond that went far beyond activism
For many, Gloria Steinem was above all an icon: a journalist, essayist and activist who had devoted more than five decades to championing women’s rights in the United States. But for Meghan Markle, her passing touches something far more personal. In her Instagram post, accompanied by a Dolly Parton song, the Duchess of Sussex affectionately calls her “Glo” and describes her as a friend and mentor.
Their relationship extended well beyond public appearances. Gloria Steinem had shared a Thanksgiving meal with Meghan’s family, introduced her to one of her closest friends, and offered her support during difficult times. The activist had also formed a genuine bond with Archie and Lilibet Diana. The Duchess shares that Gloria “loved their children with her whole heart”, revealing an intimate side of their friendship that few people suspected.
The Duchess also recalls the advice exchanged over cups of tea, delivered with the wit and playfulness that made Gloria Steinem so singular. A bracelet given to her by the activist, inscribed with the words “We are linked, not ranked”, is something Meghan says she wears with pride.
How their friendship was built
Their connection dates back to 2020, shortly after Meghan, Harry and Archie settled in California. The Duchess had reached out to Gloria Steinem to invite her to take part in an initiative encouraging voter registration in the United States. The activist welcomed the gesture in characteristically direct terms: she described Meghan as smart, authentic, funny and politically engaged, adding that she had “come home to vote”.
Their friendship took on a particularly meaningful dimension in 2023. At the gala celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Ms. Foundation for Women, Gloria Steinem presented Meghan with the Women of Vision Award. The activist, who was among the organisation’s founders, honoured the Duchess’s commitment to women and girls at a New York evening that brought together several generations of advocates.
What Gloria Steinem brought to American feminism
Born on 25 March 1934 in Toledo, Ohio, Gloria Steinem began her career as a journalist before becoming one of the most recognised voices of the American feminist movement. In 1963, she first made her name with an undercover investigation at the Playboy Club in New York, where she worked as a waitress to document the conditions imposed on the young women employed there. Her report, titled A Bunny’s Tale, shed light on the low wages, sexualisation and constraints endured by those workers.
In 1969, her essay After Black Power, Women’s Liberation established her as a national spokesperson for the women’s liberation movement. Her causes spanned a wide spectrum: equal pay, abortion rights, access to contraception, the fight against gender-based violence, and women’s political representation.
- Co-founding of Ms. magazine in 1971-1972, with Patricia Carbine and Letty Cottin Pogrebin
- The first test issue sold 300,000 copies within days
- Co-founding of the National Women’s Political Caucus in 1971 with Betty Friedan, Bella Abzug and Shirley Chisholm
- Contributions to the Women’s Action Alliance and the Ms. Foundation for Women
- Decades of speaking engagements across the United States in support of feminist mobilisations
Ms. magazine opened its pages to subjects long ignored by the mainstream press: domestic violence, rape, workplace discrimination, the division of household labour and women’s place in institutions. The title had become far more than a magazine: a platform for millions of women to be heard.
A philosophy summed up in a single sentence
In her tribute, Meghan Markle recounts a New York anecdote that perfectly captures Gloria Steinem’s thinking. A woman had once approached the activist with great emotion, wanting to introduce her daughter, while worrying that the child might not know who she was. Gloria Steinem’s response was characteristically direct: it doesn’t matter whether she knows who I am, what matters is that she knows who she is.
That single line encapsulates a lifetime devoted to encouraging women to find their own voice. For the Duchess of Sussex, that legacy does not end with the passing of her friend. She intends to honour it, just as she still wears every day, with pride, the bracelet given to her by “Glo”.
