Meghan Markle, Kate Middleton in British Vogue’s list of the 25 most influential women of 2021

They may have gone their separate ways after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex branched out from the UK royal family, but Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, and Meghan Markle are still doing similar philanthropic work, and that has earned them a place in British Vogue’s list of the 25 most influential women of 2021.

According to The Independent, the “annual round-up” is published in the magazine’s September issue, and it aims to celebrate the women who have “paved the way for a more equal future”.

The Duchess of Cambridge earned her spot after the launch of a new research hub The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, in June 2021. And the Duchess of Sussex — who also made the list in 2018 and 2019 — was featured once again for her “extensive philanthropy work” and her debut children’s book, The Bench.

Middleton’s centre intends to raise awareness on the impact of the first five years in a child’s development, after research indicated that there is a link between the kind of life lived in these years and challenges faced in adulthood, including that of addiction and mental health issues.

Per the report, the judges said, “With the flashier end of royal duties largely on hold during lockdown, it was [Middleton’s] charity work rather than her fashion choices that pulled the majority of headlines.”

As for Markle, the judges were quoted as saying, “It seems no woman has been more talked about on these shores in the past 12 months than Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex. In addition to her extensive philanthropy work, she inked Netflix and Spotify deals and authored a children’s book, all with a shared goal of promoting equality.”

In fact, the outlet also mentioned that even though the the duchess left the UK early last year, she had continued to support several UK-based charities.

Musician FKA Twigs who, in December 2020, had publicly sued ex-boyfriend Shia LaBeouf for abuse, sexual battery, assault and emotional distress, is also on the list.

Joeli Brearley, the founder and CEO of Pregnant Then Screwed, has been featured as well, for raising awareness around pregnancy and maternity discrimination, the report stated.

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