Meghan pays tribute to ‘friend and mentor’ Gloria Steinem

The Duchess of Sussex (Jonathan Brady/PA) PA Wire Lauren Del Fabbro 3 minutes ago The Duchess of Sussex has paid tribute to her “friend and mentor” American journalist and feminist activist Gloria Steinem after her death at the age of 92.

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Steinem, one of the trailblazers behind the US feminist movement, died on Wednesday at her home in New York City .

She dedicated her life to advocating and campaigning for a number of issues including equal pay and reproductive rights.

Tributes have since poured in for Steinem, including from Meghan , who wrote in a post on Instagram: “Celebrating the life and legacy of my friend and mentor, Gloria Steinem, and also grateful to know that in these last few weeks and days she knew exactly how loved and admired she was.

“You all know her many accolades and the way in which she helped shape the world for women and all people – ‘we are linked, not ranked’ she would tell me, and the bracelet she gave me said exactly that. I still wear it with pride.

“Publicly, we did interviews together, called young voters to encourage them to have their voices heard, attended award ceremonies, and brainstormed how to help this beautiful yet complicated world to become more equitable.

“But privately, she was even better than you would imagine – spending Thanksgiving with our family, introducing me to one of my best friends (forever the champion of female friendship), loving our children with her whole heart, counseling me during hard times, and giving extraordinary advice and perspective with a cup of tea and an unrivaled cheekiness and wit.”

Former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton also paid tribute to Steinem and told CBS Mornings: “I’m heartsick, as I think everyone who not only knew her but followed her, was inspired and challenged by her.

“Gloria was at heart an optimist. Her activism was rooted in optimism, and that’s a moral choice. And she made it every day.

“She was one of the architects of the entire structure of women’s equality. Tearing down those obstacles to young women being able to participate where their talents and hard work took them.

“I saw in my own life over the course of about 10 to 15 years, Gloria’s pushing on those doors to finally get them open, not only for her to walk through, but for her to lead literally millions of others.”