Tributes to Gloria Steinem have stressed both the scale of her public work for women’s equality and the quieter influence she had on those close to her. Political figures framed her as a movement-builder; Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, described a friendship shaped by activism, advice and family life.

Steinem’s death at 92 prompted remembrances that moved between national history and personal memory. The central difference was one of focus: public tributes emphasized the barriers she helped challenge, while Meghan’s account presented the activist known as “Glo” as a trusted presence beyond the spotlight.

Hillary Clinton called Steinem “one of the architects of the entire structure of women’s equality,” urging younger women to see the continuing struggle as worthwhile. Clinton said Steinem’s activism was “rooted in optimism,” even amid setbacks to women’s full participation and equality.¹ Nancy Pelosi likewise described her as a “fearless trailblazer” whose advocacy opened doors once closed to women.¹

That public assessment aligns with accounts of Steinem’s career as a journalist, organiser and co-founder of Ms. magazine, as well as her advocacy on civil rights, reproductive freedom and violence against women. An obituary noted that she “never recanted or modified her many causes,” maintaining her campaigning over decades.²

Meghan’s tribute did not dispute that larger legacy, but made it personal. She wrote that Steinem helped shape the world “for women and all people,” recalling the maxim inscribed on a bracelet Steinem gave her: “we are linked, not ranked.”³ She also shared an unseen photograph of Steinem with Prince Archie and said the activist spent Thanksgiving with the family, loved Meghan’s children “with her whole heart,” and offered counsel during difficult periods.³

Meghan’s favourite recollection captured the same message of empowerment in miniature. When a woman worried her daughter might not recognise Steinem, she said Steinem replied: “It doesn’t matter if she knows who I am. What matters is that she knows who SHE is.”³