Why Salma Hayek Was Forbidden From Saying Meghan Markle’s Name

Meghan Markle went to great lengths to keep the secrets of her British Vogue cover, and Salma Hayek revealed another rule. The actress was told not to say the Duchess of Sussex’s name while they were on the phone since others could hear.

Hayek told CNN that she received a call from British Vogue editor Edward Enninful, which isn’t unusual since they’re friends. She didn’t know who he had on the line, though.

“I was in the car and he said, ‘Listen, I’m going to put somebody on the phone. Are you in the car with people?’ I said ‘Yes.’ He told me ‘you cannot say the name of the person I'm calling.’ Frankly, I thought it was a joke,” she explained.

She was flattered when Meghan introduced herself and revealed that she found Hayek inspiring. The actress called the Duchess “very kind and loving and easy-going.”

The secrecy, however, continued as Enninful and Markle put together the September issue of British Vogue. Hayek is one of several women on the cover, but she says she is the only one who knew that the Duchess of Sussex handpicked everyone.

“I felt very honored when we did this photoshoot. No one else knew what it was for,” she added. “Only me and the photographer, Peter Lindbergh, knew. And all the girls were getting their picture taken for the cover and they didn’t know that Meghan was how they got there.”

Laverne Cox, who is also on the cover, told People that she only learned days ago that the Duchess of Sussex had a hand in the issue.

“I did not find that out until last week,” Cox said. “Edward Enninful called me at 9:30 in the morning and he’s like, ‘I have someone on the phone for you,’ and it was the Duchess of Sussex.” Cox was also charmed by the new mother.