A celebration of inspiring women
Meeting one of your all-time heroes is rather terrifying. There’s the possibility of being disappointed – that they might not live up to your expectations or somehow be lesser than you’ve dreamed. And so, while honoured and excited to be invited to a special audience with former First Lady Michelle Obama in conversation with legendary interviewer Oprah Winfrey at Good Housekeeping’s parent company in New York in September, I was also nervous. Like many of you, I’ve spent the past decade admiring Michelle. Her passion for creating equal opportunities – in particular her encouragement of young people from all walks of life – her skill at always knowing the right thing to say and how to behave, and her incredible achievements in her own career, along with her wit, warmth and style, make her a role model for so many reasons.
This was the first interview Michelle gave about her new memoir, Becoming, and over the hour and a half, as Oprah masterfully guided Michelle through the chapters of her book – and the path of her life – our 100-or-so-strong audience hung on every single word. Within minutes, I am happy to say, it was very clear that Michelle wasn’t all I’d hoped – she was so much more. She spoke with total openness and authenticity, even about the tricky times in her life, and had us all in her thrall. I’m so pleased to be able to bring you some of Oprah’s interview in this issue and even more thrilled that Michelle also gave Good Housekeeping answers to our own questions. I think you’ll enjoy getting to know her – and her book should be the last-minute gift you buy yourself and your girlfriends!
Of course, this issue contains much else besides, and the contributions of numerous other remarkable women. Among them, in her first ever magazine interview and photoshoot, Carole Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge’s mother, tells us about her life as an entrepreneur and how a simple good idea took off and remains both her occupation and passion.
And, in another first, queen of cookery Mary Berry welcomes Good Housekeeping into her new home and shows us around her dream kitchen and dining room. It is beautiful and so full of treasures from Mary’s life, it really reflects her personality.
I think Mary will approve of the delicious recipes our cookery director Meike Beck and her team have created to help you celebrate the party season. Whether you prefer hosting a few friends or a larger crowd, we hope we can give you a helping hand. And, from all of us at Good Housekeeping, we wish you a really enjoyable festive break and a happy New Year!