Earlier this week, American actress Laverne Cox became the first-ever transgender cover star of British Vogue as part of the publicationโs September issue, which was guest edited by the Duchess of Sussex. However, despite the cover being in the works for a while, it wasnโt until last week that the Orange Is the New Black star was told she was chosen by Meghan Markle โ on a surprise phone call with Meghan herself.
โI did not find that out until last week,โ Laverne told People. โEdward Enninful [British Vogueโs Editor in Chief] called me at 9:30 in the morning and heโs like, โI have someone on the phone for you,โ and it was the Duchess of Sussex.โ
Laverne added that Meghan was โso lovelyโ on the phone, saying, โShe just thanked me for being an inspiration and to keep it up.โ

โI did tell her I had been a fan of Suits since the beginning,โ Laverne continued. โI had been a fan of hers since then. I just loved her on the show. She just said, โAwww.โ She seemed surprised.โ
Of her groundbreaking cover, the 47-year-old said it was โa dream come true. Itโs been one of my biggest dreams and here it is.โ
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Laverne also drew comparisons to Meghan and Prince Harryโs late mother, Princess Diana. โShe has been such a huge inspiration for so many of us,โ she told People of the Duchess. โYes, as an African American member of the royal family, but I think a lot about Prince Harryโs mother, Princess Diana, and what she meant to so many people. She wanted to help and be of service to the world โ it feels like Prince Harry chose a partner who embodies so much of what his mother stood for.โ
This article originally appeared on InStyle Australia