Anna Wintour, the longest-serving editor-in-chief of Vogue magazine, was presented with the Order of the Companions of Honour by King Charles III at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday. Wintour was appointed to the order in the King’s 2023 birthday honours for her services to fashion, as well as her philanthropic work fundraising for causes like HIV/AIDs research and the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute.
During the ceremony Wintour told King Charles that she will not stop working, as she removed her signature black sunglasses to receive the prestigious award.
“It makes me even more convinced that I have so much more to achieve,” she said.
The honour is granted to those who have made a major contribution to the arts, science, medicine or government over a long period of time. Only 65 people can be a member of the order at any one time – its current ranks include Elton John, Paul McCartney, Judi Dench and Margaret Atwood.
Dressed in Alexander McQueen, Wintour told reporters after the ceremony that she was “completely surprised and overwhelmed” to receive her second accolade at Buckingham Palace. Wintour was made a dame in 2017 by Queen Elizabeth II, who honoured her for her contribution to fashion and journalism.
“The last time I was here the Queen gave me a medal and we both agreed that we had been doing our job a very long time, and then this morning His Majesty asked me if this meant I was going to stop working and I said firmly, no,” she said.
Arguably the most significant player in fashion, 75-year-old Wintour has been Vogue’s editor-in-chief since 1988, and has raised millions for AIDS research, and a variety of arts organizations across the globe. She has also organized the annual fundraiser for the Costume Institute at the Met Gala in New York, since 1995.
(Header photo: x.com/RoyalFamily)
