Two of the Duchess of Sussex’s British Vogue cover stars have spoken of the secrecy that surrounded the project.

Hollywood star and campaigner Gemma Chan and television actress and activist Jameela Jamil said they were only told late in the production of the style bible that Meghan was guest editor.

She telephoned the pair to tell them about her role just before it was announced that she had joined the magazine’s editor-in-chief Edward Enninful in creating the September issue.

Actresses Gemma Chan and Jameela Jamil were among the cover stars of the September issue of British Vogue. Peter Lindbergh
Actresses Gemma Chan and Jameela Jamil were among the cover stars of the September issue (Peter Lindbergh/PA)

Meghan also joked with Jamil, thanking her for introducing her to husband Harry – a reference to the actress’s character Tahani in E4 TV show The Good Place, who claims in an episode to have been the couple’s matchmaker.

Chan said “what incredible company to be in, it’s such an honour” about the magazine’s cover which features 14 other women including actress Jane Fonda and climate change campaigner Greta Thunberg.

Speaking on Monday’s episode of the BBC’s The One Show, Chan, who shot to fame in box office hit Crazy Rich Asians, added: “I didn’t actually know that she was involved until the day before, and I got a voicemail message from her.”

Gemma Chan has described being one of the cover stars of British Vogue as an honour. Ian West/PA Wire
Gemma Chan (Ian West/PA)

Her words were echoed by Jamil, an advocate for body positivity through her I Weigh movement, who rose to fame as a Channel 4 youth presenter.

She told Grazia magazine she had not been told British Vogue was being guest edited, but she was contacted by the duchess.

She said: “Meghan called me herself, I missed the call three times before I finally answered, I wanted to punch myself.

Joy Screening – London
Jameela Jamil (Matt Crossick/PA)

“She explained that she’d guest edited the issue, and apologised that the whole thing had been shrouded in so much secrecy.

“She said she had chosen to feature me because she’d seen what I had been doing and was a fan. To know that she had followed my work with I Weigh meant a lot.”

Describing her impression of Meghan she added: “Warm, kind and actually very LOLs.”